Skip to main content

Full text of "Variety (January 12, 1955)"

See other formats 


Jan 12'3*B 



VOL. 197 No. 6 


Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street. New York 36. N. Y.. by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription. CIO. Single copies. 25 cents. 
Entered as second-class matter December 22. 1905, at the Post Office at New York. N. Y.. under the act of March 3. 1B79. 

COPYRIGHT. 1955, BY VARIETY. INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 


NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1955 


PRICE 25 CENTS 


‘JANE MAKE WITH THE LUNGS’ 


Yank Film of ’44 Plot to KOI Hitler 
Tests German Hero-Or-Heel Views 


Film dealing with the July 20. | 
1944. attempt on Hitler's life Is 
being planned by Henry Lester, 
representative of Germany’s Carl- 
ton Films. If produced, this would 
be Lester’s personal project and 
done in Germany as an American- 
made film. 

Lester said in N. Y. last week 
that lie had discussed the provoca- 
tive subject with German govern- 
ment otficials and had been assured 
ot their full and wholehearted sup- 
port. "They are behind it,” he de- 
clared. "I only hope German audi- 
ences will be. too.” 

'The Germans in recent years : 
have shown a strong tendency to , 
revert to original impulses, and 
the men involved in the 1944 assas- 
sination try are being frequently 
denounced as "traitors.” Similar 
reasoning inspired recent German 
attacks on an anti-Nazi Austrian 
producer who’s currently lensing a 
film on the last days of Hitler at a 
Vienna studio. 

Lester said he planned to make 
his pic in association with Dr. Otto 
Joseph, prominent Munich show 
biz attorney. He’s also talking a 
deal with an American director. 

TV Gets Priority 
Over Stage, Film On 
Bestselling Novel 

For the first time television 
will get the first crack at the pres- 
entation of a bestselling novel, 
even though the property is al- 1 
ready scheduled for a stage ver- 
sion and is the subject of hot bid- 
ding from a number of film com- | 
panics. Book is Mac Hyman’s “No , 
Time for Sergeants,” a Book-of- 
the-Month choice three months , 
back, which will be presented by 
the Theatre Guild on the "U. S. 
Steel Hour” March 15 on ABC-TV. 

Television preem for the book is 
reportedly a cause of no little con-^ 
fern to Maurice Evans, who’s pur-’ 
thased stage rights to the property 
willi an eye toward bringing it to 
Broadway next season with an 
adaptation by "Stalag 17” authors 
Edmund Trzcinsky and Donald 
Bevan. And Theatre Guild has re- 
ceived bids from Hollywood ask- 
ms that the Guild sell its video 
rights so that the film companies 
could then buy film rights without 
having been beaten out by the 
video version. 

C urious circumstances surround- 
mg the tele presentation came 
a )'»ut through submission of the 
)( >ok to Theatre Guild before pub- i 
•cation by Random House. The 
' U1 ‘ ( l hiked it, took an eight-month 
Pi ion for television, and planned 
file presentation for before May 1, 1 
1p ii th e option expires. Subse- 
ciucnt success of the book boosted 
" 1<nv biz value, but meanwhile 
iicatre Guild had rights to the 

" 0Vel at a price within television’s 

means. 


Do It Our Way, Not Yours, Video 
Dictate on 1956 Politico Conventions 


Germans’ Boast 

The Germans are riding 
high again in Europe. 

Travelers returning from the 
Continent report hordes of 
prosperous - looking German 
tourists pouring into Paris, 
Brussels and the Dutch cities. 

In Paris and other places, 
some of the German cars bear 
stickers with a message reflect- 
ing the current state of mind. 

They read: "We’re Back!” 

Chiang’s Formosa 
Capital Clings To 
2-A-Day ‘Opera 

By RICHARD H. LARSH 

Taipei. Jan. 4 . 

This island fortress town lives 
under an austerity the rest of the 
world has forgotten as it stands 
braced for any blow Red China 
may unleash. Recreational facili- 
ties are meagre, two spots with 
western dance music, nary a night- 
club, a few cinemas showing Amer- 
ican cowboy films plus Japanese 
and Chinese features: that sums 
up amusements in Taipei save for 
something uniquely Formosan: 
three Chinese-type “opera houses.” 
In one, this Variety reporter 
caught a play bearing the 
title, “The Red Maiden.” but 1,400 
years old as a story and having no 
political connotations. 

The opera houses enjoy SRO 
nightly and better than half capac- 
ity at the daily matinees. Highest 
in prestige is the National Opera 
Co., with a repertory of two differ- 
ent bills daily running from broad 
farce to light comedy similar to 
Victor Herbert operetta, to turgid 
historical drama. 

In residence at the National is 
a stock company, the personal 
property of Gardenia Chiang, once 
(Continued on page 65) 

HOPE’S HOUR AD LIB 
PAYS HIM $100,000 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 
Bob Hope now Is that man of 
distinctioi. plus — he’s the highest 
paid man in the world. For his 
one-hour emceeing of the General 
Motors Motorama in N. Y. Jan. 17. 
telecast over NBC, he will be paid 
$ 100 , 000 . 

Since it’s all ad lib, requiring 
little rehearsal and no prepared 
script as he guides the viewer' 
through the new auto models and 
kitchen appliances, there’s no 
writer expense. Arthur Godfrey 
for the same chore last year, was 
paid $15,000. 


By JOF, SCIIOENFELD 

Silver Springs, Fla., Jan. 11. 

Extremes to which motion pic- 
ture showmanship will go to pro- 
mote a property, and the willing- 
ness of press photographers to 
travel anywhere and play along 
with any gag if unusual angles are 
involved, is well exemplified in 
the stunt underwater opening at 
these springs of RKO’s new “Un- 
derwater!” feature. In one of the 
biggest gimmick stunts of recent 
years some 156 photographers, re- 
porters and trade observers rallied 
round to cheer on cheesecake’s big 
dunk in the lake, namely the literal 
immersion of Jane Russell (and 
others) into the chilly waters to 
attend a tank theatre. 

If it all seems like a bunch of 
crazy mixed up kids on a wacky 
lark, there is a real payoff in pub- 
licity. Seldom has any new’ pic- 
tures in recent years got so much 
play. If one-tenth the shots taken 
get published. RKO may set a rec- 
ord. The lenshounds were using 
up Eastman Kodak stock as if it 
was free. 

The occasion recalls Queen Marie 
of Roumania, on her visit to 
America. “Queenie, make' with 
the skirts.” demanded the camera 
crew. This was paraphrased here 
by a witty photog as the amply- 
(Continued on page 65) 


Perfect-Balance Studio 
For Television Not Yel 
Built; Need Music Pit 

By HARRY SOSNIK 

One of the major problems today 
in live television shows is how to 
maintain contact between the per- 
formers and the audience and at 
the same time also have a close 1 
enough relationship between the 
performers and the conductor and 
orchestra to attain correct musi- 1 
cal sound. In the present make- | 
shift theatres, which are converted 
movie houses, radio studios or le- I 
gitimate theatres, if you establish : 
one relationship you lose the other. ! 
Although I haven’t seen the tv 
studios on the Coast. I understand : 

(Continued on page 66) 


Tony De Marco Premiere 

Dancer Tony De Marco who 
with Sally is at the Plaza, 

N. Y., will be a guest of honor 
Jan. 27 at Kleinhaus Music 
Hall, Buffalo, on behalf of the 
Philharmonic Society there. 
Although a headliner in show- 
biz since the 1920s, this will 
be the first time De Marco 
ever made a speech. He’s get- 
ting some material from Harry 
llcrshfield. 

Two other Buffalo V. I. P.’s 
similarly singled out are Kath- 
arine Cornell and Rose Bamp- 
ton. 


Swiss Radio Votes 
To Take Over TV, 
Go Commercial 


Zurich, Jan. 11. 

At a recent general meeting, the 
Swiss Broadcasting Corp. declared 
its willingness to take over, by next 
October, television in this country 
where it is still in its three-year 
tryout period. It is understood, 
however, that the tv program serv- i 
ice is to be built into the already 
existing radio organization. Fur- 
thermore, the SBC will have to 
consider a deficit of about $3,500- 
000 to $4,500,000 within the next ! 
eight to 10 years, which is expected 
to be covered by a loan from the 
federal government. 

As an additional important means 
to finance tv, the SBC recommends 
the introduction of commercially 
sponsored ' telecasts, describing 
them as “a source of income which 
should not be put off w ithout plaus- 
ible reason.” 

Should this recommendation be 
put to use, it will represent a revo- > 
lutionary step forward in this coun- ; 
try’s radio and tv which so far 
have stayed entirely clear of any 
sort of commercials or sponsor- ! 
ship. Both media have been fed 
exclusively from governmental sub- 
sidies. 


Public and Screen Both Grow Up 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Hollywood has discovered that audiences have grown up — and 
audiences discovered that Hollywood has grown up. And because 
of this, there are long lines in front of film houses again, accord- 
ing to Daniel Mann, Broadway director now specializing in mak- 
ing adult Hollywood pix such as Hal Wallis’ filming of Tennessee 
Williams’ “The Rose Tattoo” for Paramount. 

“The big screen made audiences sit up, hut it was adult themes 
that made them lake notice.” Mann stated. “A few years ago, 
stories like ‘The Rose Tattoo,’ ‘The Country Girl’ and ‘Come Back, 
Little Sheba’ would have been considered too adult for the sup- 
posed 12 year-old audience Hollywood once catered to. Now a 
story must have intelligence and integrity or it doesn’t stand a 
chance.” 


Washington. Jan. 11. 

Television, in effect, is dictating 
to Republicans and Democrats 
alike just what their 1956 national 
conventions are going to be like. 
Since video is recognized as the 
most important aspect^ in gaining 
attention for the upcoming presi- 
dential conventions, Bill Henry, in- 
dependent newscaster and chair- 
man of the Convention Committee 
of the Radio-TV Correspondents’ 
Gallery in Washington, D. C., told 
the Democratic National Commit- 
tee today (Tues.) and in part the 
Republicans last Saturday (8) what 
cities would be okay for tv cover- 
age and that the two conventions 
should be held, not only in the 
same town, but as close together 
in time as is possible. These dic- 
tates might prove in direct contra- 
diction with current party plans. 

In laying down the law to the 
political planners, Henry nixed At- 
lantic City, one of the three munic- 
ipalities which formally bid to the 
Republican Party for the privilege 
of housing the ’56 convention. 
(Other two sites formally bidding 
were Chicago and Philadelphia.) 
Henry told the Republicans that 
since the Jersey resort town 
doesn’t have proper technical video 
facilities (coaxial, cameras, per- 
manent video installations, etc.) 
that it would have to bow out of 
the picture unless someone were 
to undertake building at great cost 
the proper setup. 

With tv looking to be a bigger 
convention item than ever before 
in history due to its increased cov- 
erage area, Henry told the politicos 
that in order to accommodate the 
medium adequately it will be nec- 
essary to hold the two conven- 
tions in the same town and as close 

(Continued on page 66) 

Murrow-Oppenheimer 
As Theatrical Release 
On Tap for Britain 

Great Britain’s Granada circuit 
is in the midst of wrapping up a 
deal with producers Edward R. 
Murrow and Fred W. Friendly un- 
der which an extended version of 
last week’s film interview with 
physicist J. Robert Oppenheimcr 
on CBS-TV’s “See It Now" would 
be shown in theatrical exhibition 
in the U. K. While the Murrow- 
Oppenheimer teletalk was the 
usual half-hour, the show shot 
about three hours of footage with 
the world famed bossman of the 
Institute for Advanced Study at 
Princeton. A one-hour edition is 
being made available via the Fund 
for the Republic for distribution 
to colleges and universities, and as 
of early this week the Murrow- 
Friendly office had received well 
over 100 requests for prints. 

The Granada deal is for a two- 
hour film, adaptable to 90 min- 
utes. The circuit operates a large 
number of film and newsreel 
houses m the British Isles. 













2 


MISCELLANY 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


'Personal Service’ Exempts Voorhees 
From N.Y. Unincorporated Biz Tax 


In a ruling regarded as signifi-*- 


cant in show business, the Court of 
Appeals, State of N. Y., has held 
that Don Voorhees, in conducting 
orchestras for DuPont and Ameri- 
can Telephone & Telegraph radio 
programs, was not functioning as 
an “unincorporated business” and 
consequently is exempt from the 
state’s unincorporated business tax. 
The tribunal thus reversed an 
Appellate Division decision which 
held Voorhees subject to the tax. 

The Appeals Court noted that this 
was the first such tax case in- 
volving "the arts,” as distin- 
guished from the practice of law, 
medicine, dentistry and architec- 
ture. These fields have been 
specifically listed as being beyond 
application of the tax in cases 
where more than 80% of an indi- 
vidual’s gross income is derived 
from personal services rendered. 

N. Y. firm of O’Brien, Driscoll & 
Raftery represented Voorhees in 
the appeal. 


British Package 
Old Films For 
U.S. Television 

Reversing a policy it had pur- 
sued since the war, the J. Arthur 
Rank Organization is currently in- 
viting bids on a package of 52 
theatrical Rank pix from tv film 
distributors. 

None of the films are new but 
few — such as the classic “39 Steps” 
— pre-date the war. Among the 
titles in the group are “The Blue 
Lamp,” “Fanny by Gaslight,” 
“Pink String and Sealing Wax.” 
“Blackmail,” “The Smugglers” 
(Technicolor), “Dear Mr. Prohack,” 
etc. As recently as three months 
ago, John Davis, Rank’s managing 
director, refused to even discuss 
any tv deals, partly on the advice 
of Universal execs. 

Indies in N. Y. feel that the Rank 
move may foreshadow a similar 
policy change at Associated British 
Pictures which, in the past, has 
flirted with the idea of tv sales but 
reportedly wouldn’t go through 
with it as long as Rank stuck to his 
anti-tv guns. Quite apart from 
that, Warner Bros, has an interest 
in Associated British and has some- 
ing to say about any tv deals. 

Fact that the Rank package is be- 
ing offered around has some of the 
indies jittery and rushing through 
their own deals. Their reasoning 
is that, once the Rank ptx find a 
buyer, the tv film market will be 
glutted for a while and prices will 
drop. 


Breathe Deeply Pays 

WOR, N. Y., is making a big 
thing out of gabber John B. 
Gambling’s 30 years with the 
station. Outlet is taking over 
Madison Square Garden for 
four hours in the morning on 
March 8. 

It is believed the first time 
the Garden was taken over to 
cuffo listeners of a radio show. 
WOR is going to do the entire 
ayem lineup from the arena. 


Author Not Taxable On 
Earnings From Rights 
Prevously Transferred 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

When a writer gives exclusive 
rights to use his copyrighted work 
in a specified entertainment me- 
dium, it is a transfer of a property 
right and he is not subject to Fed- 
eral income tax on earnings of 
these rights, Internal Revenue 
Service rules. 

Revenue explained that “copy- 
rights are divisible into separate 
properties and a grant of the ex- 
clusive right to exploit a copy- 
righted work in a specific medium, 
such as radio, television, films or 
the stage, throughout hhe life of the 
| copyright transfers a property 
right. 

“Accordingly where a taxpayer, 
by deed of gift transfers and di- 
vests himself of all rights, title and 
interest in the dramatization rights 
to his novel necessary for its pro- 
duction in a specific medium, such 
as radio, television, motion pictures 
or on stage, he is not liable for 
Federal income tax with respect to 
any income deriving from his for- 
mer interest in these rights.” 


30 YEARS AT ST. GEORGE 


Eli Dantzig, Radio Vet, Has 
Daughter At The Ivories 


BUY A TICKET AND 
HELP CATCH MURDERER 

This really deserves billing as 
the first benefit premiere of its 
kind. United Artists is opening 
“Romeo and Juliet” at the 
Lux Theatre, Panama, tomorrow 
• Thurs.) with the proceeds to be- 
come part of a fund used for the 
international search for the assas- 
sins of Panama President Jose An- 
tonio Remon. 

Arrangements for the preem 
fwere set by Arnold Picker, UA’s 
v.p. in charge of foreign opera- 
tions, who’s now touring Latin 
America. 



HORACE HEIDT 

For Swift A Co. 
Starting Jan. 8th 
Office* — J. Walter Thompson, 
Chicago 


$ 1200 . 000,000 

Pix B.O. in U.S. 


Washington, Jan. 11. 

Boom in both the film boxoffice 
and the sale of tv sets for 1955 is 
predicted by Sinclair Weeks, 
Secretary of Commerce, in his 
special report on industrial out- 
look for the year ahead. He esti- 
mated the film business at the 
boxoffice at $1,200,000,000 in 1954, 
and figured tv set sales should be 
nearly $1,150,000,000 in 1955 at 
factory prices. 

Weeks credits the b.o. upswing 
largely to Hollywood’s emphasis 
on quality product, asserting: 

“Further increases at the box- 
office are expected in 1955, as the 
industry concentrates upon quality 
production rather than quantity, 
which proved so successful in 
1954,1 when estimated gross box- 
office receipts totaled $1,200,000,- 
000. This was an 18% increase 
over 1953 and brought the average 
admissions near 80,000,000 per- 
sons. The foreign market for U.S. 
films is becoming increasingly 
important, bringing in nearly 
$200,000,000 in 1954.” 

Weeks asserted that “the expan- 
sion of color television receiver 
production is expected to result 
in factory sales of $150,000,000 in 
1955, while sales of black and 
white receivers will have a factory 
value of almost $1,000,000,000.” 


Film Research Spades Strange Sod 


Irish Tunes Mostly Written in America by Non-Irish 
Tunesmiths Like Westermarck 


By DIMITRI TIOMKIN 


Weep No More, You By-Liners 


Veteran Mariner of our Annual 
Sea of Prose Gives Advice 
To Amateur Authors Who End 
Up In the ‘Variety’ Overset 


By FRANK SCULLY 

Palm Springs, Jan. 11. 

Sometimes it seems that the chief motive of these anniversary num- 
bers of Variety is to teach contributors — staffers particularly — that 
they are not indispensable and that when guests are around, the place 
of staffers is below the salt. 

If anybody must drown in this sea of prose, It seems the crew must 
go down first. To the cry "Man overboard!” the urgency of the rescue 
depends on whether it is a member of the crew who is paid to keep 
on deck or a paying guest whose loss will have serious repercussions. 

Hordes of one-shot contributors drown out our hard-won prose in 
a flash flood of brilliance. The primary effect is stunning. Awe and 
admiration, however, soon give way to doubts as to their durability. 
Could these brilliant contribs keep it up for 52 weeks? Or, like 
quarter horses, are they brilliant only for short runs? 

Year after year these brilliant amateurs are set against us old pros. 
In all fairness it must be conceded that they beat our brains out. 
But again I say, would they like to stretch their sprints into marathons 
and see who wins then — the hare or the tortoise? 

You may have read where Warner’s had to run “The High and the 
Mighty” all over again to have its theme song qualify for the Oscar 
Derby. It seems the picture ran long and they cut a choral surge at 
the finish because the words were intelligible and this wasn’t needed, 
because the picture was finished anyway. So they settled for John 
Wayne’s wistful whistle. But those words were essential to an Academy 
award so Warner’s had to put them back in the picture and run it 
again to meet Academy requirements. 

We unfortunately have no such rules concerning an anniversary 
number of Variety. Otherwise some of those contributions, or even 
paragraphs that were heaved overboard when the cargo began to list, 
would be rescued and incorporated in a playback. 

Anny Number vs. Battle of Bulge v 

Part of this battle of the bulge is traceable to editorial jitters. 
Along about October each year, fearful that he faces nearly 300 pages 
and little reading matter .to fill in between the ads, the editor sends 

(Continued on page 73) 


Bob Hope Says IA Bum-Raps Him 


Greenland Air Base Show Filmed by Government 

Cameramen — Local 659 Squawks 

♦ 


MIKE KAPLAN, PUBLISHER 


Former Variety Staffer Starts 
Free Daily For Hotels 


Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

A new type of daily newspaper 
— a giveway — to be slipped under 
the doors of every room in every 
large hotel in the L.A. area, is 
being inaugurated by Mike Kaplan, 
who resigned Dec. 31 as a Daily 
Variety staffer to embark upon 
this project. Tagged The Traveler, 
publication starts Feb. 20, and will 
include a large range of features, 
including United Press news and 
telephotos. 

With a 12-page tabloid format, 
paper is aimed directly at the more 
than 3,500,000 visitors who annual- 
ly spend in excess of $500,000,000 
in Southern California, thus giving 
advertisers a concentrated reader- 
ship. Additional features include 
syndicated columns of Joe and 
Stewart Alsop, Hy Gardner and 
Art Buchwald. Free circulation 
will be confined to hotels’ guests. 
Kaplan plans to publish Traveler 
in seven key cities after getting 
local edition firmly established. 


Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Bob Hope Sunday termed com- 
pletely unfair an attack made upon 
him because Government photog- 
raphers were used to film his show 
lensed in Greenland, and shown on 
the Colgate Comedy Hour Sun. (9). 
Hope was the target earlier of a 
blast by IATSE cameramen’s local 
659, which complained to Bob Hope 
Enterprises, and sent a letter to 
Defense Secretary Charles Wilson 
asking for an investigation, charg- 
ing it was unfair to the 150 jobless 
cameramen in Hollywood. 

Hope said he understood union 
cameramen made the Greenland 
jaunt but that all arrangements 
were made by Air Force Secretary 
Harold Talbott. Talbott, he ex- 
plained, wanted the show filmed 
so that it could be shown before 
Air Force bases throughout the 
world as a morale-booster. And l^e 
told Hope he would like to see it 
(Continued on page 65) 


BORGE’S N.Y. SOLO PAYS 
HIM $897,350 TO DATE 

Victor Borge is continuing to 


Eli Dantzig is marking 30 years 
as orchestra leader at the Hotel 
St. George in Brooklyn by enroll- 
ing his daughter Harriett for piano 
and vocals. 

Dantzig was a radio orchestra 
back in the old WOR and WHN 
days and also once administered 
the club department for Loews 
under Marvin Schenck. 


Last week as I watched the shops 
ar.d stores dismantle their Yule- 
tide green festooning it occurred 
to me the next "wearin* of the 
green” isn’t far off; less than three 
months to be precise — St. Patrick’s 
Day. 

This coming March 17 I would 
like to hear a radio or video pro- 
gram devoted to genuine tradi- 
tional Irish music. Annually 


Subscription Order Form 

Enclosed find check for $ 

Please send VARIETY for y e “ rs 


1 . 12 


To 


tPleasc Print Nam*) 


Street 
City . . 


Zone. . . . State 


Regular Subscription Rates 
One Year — $1 0.00 Two Years— $1 8.00 

Canada and Foreign — $1 Additional per Year 

yft-RlETY Inc. 

154 West 44th Street New York 34. N. Y. 


some broadcast programmer strikes 
a stance of superiority and 
painstakingly points out what 
“Irish” music was composed In Tin 
Pan Alley and what is “authentic.” 
Then he patronizingly brushes 
aside Tin Pan Alley and cascades 
on his helpless listeners a stream 
of melodies as indigenous to Ice- 
land as to Ireland. 

That “authentic” Irish ballad, 
"I’ll Take You Home Again, Kath- 
leen,” was concocted in Kentucky 
by a German named Westermarck 
for a sick wife who had a nostalgia 
to return to her native Long Island. 
“Come Back To Erin” was written 
b> a Baltimore belle, Mrs. Charles 
Barnard, in Baltimore, under the 
nom-de-clef of Claribel, on an 
occasion of a visit to Ireland by 
Queen Victoria on which Her 
Britannic Majesty was most coolly 
received. There is even reason to 
believe the song, actually, is a 
satire. 

Of course, “Mother Machree” 
and all those kindred trills about 
tumbledown shacks in County 
Down are strictly Tin Pan Alley — 
but at least they are honestly so. 
They are plainly and proudly 
stamped “Made In U.S. A.” and are 
meant to be what they are, senti- 
mental hands-acre£s-the-sea sa- 
lutes,/ 

Perhaps this year some broad- 
(Continued on page 74) 


PICKENS SIS PLAN 
REUNITING FOR ‘TOAST’ 

The Pickens Sisters (Jane, Patti 
& Helen) will make their first pro- 
fessional appearance since 1937 on 
Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” 
salute to New York Daily News 
radio-tv columnist Ben Gross on 
Jan. 30. Trio will sing a couple 
of songs, and Jane Pickens will re- 
create her death scene from “Re- 
gina.” in which she starred on 
Broadway in 1949. 

Sisters’ last appearance together 
was on an NBC radio show in 1937. 
Since then, Jane has continued as 
a legit-radio-tv-screen performer. 
Helen is a New York advertising 
exec with Needham, Louis & 
Brorby, while Patti, who lives in 
Bucks County, Pa., occasionally 
subs for Jane on her radio-tv 
shows when the latter vacations. 


Josh Logan’s Screen Debut 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Josh Logan, Broadway stage di- 
rector. makes his screen bow on 
Columbia's “Picnic,” starring Wil- 
liam Holden. He reports here next 
week for huddles with prexy Harry 
Cohn. 

Pic rolls in May. 


take out some tall coin from his 
one-man show at the Golden The- 
atre, N. Y., which opened Jan. 23, 
1953. Since that time, Borge has 
received as his share of the take 
$897,350, said to be the highest to 
be derived from a solo perform- 
ance. 

The Borge show is produced by 
Harry D. Squires, who toured 
Borge in various cities before his 
Broadway opening. 


Sousa Shrine 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Home of John Philip Sousa, near 
the Capitol here, is to be preserved 
as a shrine. A movement has been 
launched for funds to purchase the 
little two-story home of the march 
king, whose life was the subject 
of a film biography. 

Plan is to refurnish the house 
and to include a collection of 
memorabilia, Including copies of 
his music, medals, etc. 


Amru Sani, Indian chanteuse, 
arrives in New York, Jan. 17, 
aboard the Liberte after touring 
Italy in the musical, "Tutte Donne 
Meno Io.” 



Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


PICTURES 


STUDIOS YEN LEGIT DIRECTORS 


DCA Decides to Be Cheerful as Disneys 
Treasure Island’ Bucks Its New Film 


What started out to be a hot f 
controversy between Walt Disney 
and the new Distributors Corp. of 
America has simmered down to a 
slow burn. Nevertheless, the spark 
that touched off coast-to-coast tele- 
phone talks has caused DCA to 
alter its advertising campaign for 
“Long John Silver,” the first big 
release of the new distribution 
company. 

With DCA set to release “Long 
John” with a saturation booking in 
New England Feb. 18 to 28, the 
Fred Schwartz company learned 
that Disney planned to revive on 
his Disneyland ABC-TV show his 
feature film, “Treasure Island,” re- 
leased theatrically in 1950. Dis- 
ney scheduled the showing of “Is- 
land” in two full-hour parts Jan. 

5 and 12. 

Since “Long John Silver,” pro- 
duced by Joseph Kaufman and 
filmed in Australia, is based on the 
same characters featured in 
“Treasure Island,” ’DCA feared 
that a video outing of the material 
might harm the new film. In ad- 
dition, Robert Newton is the star 
of both films, portraying in both 
the character Long John Silver. 

Kaufman and Charles Boasberg. 
general sales manager of DCA, 
agreed there was nothing they 
could do to stop Disney although 
they regarded his action as “un- 
( Continued on page 23) 


Not On a Slow Boat 

Buddy Adler, 20th-Fox pro- 
ducer, doesn’t even need a 
Tuxedo — he’s travelling, any- 
way. Four of the first five 
films on his schedule carry Far 
East locations, starting off 
with “Soldier of Fortune,” for 
which he recently returned 
from Hong Kong with the 
Clark Gable troupe. 

Coming up are “House of 
Bamboo,” Japan; "A Many 
Splendored Thing.” Hong 
Kong, and “The Left Hand of 
God,” Oriental location not 
yet set. 


Looks Like Harriman 
Shuts Albany Door To 
B.O. Tax Repeal Moves 

Albany, Jan. 11. 

Governor Averell Harriman, in 
his initial message to the Legisla- 
ture, ruled out the possibility of 
repealing the 1947 enabling act, [ 
under which New York City 
adopted five percent admission tax. 

He did so by declaring that “In 
general, the State government 
should interfere as little as pos- 
sible with the financial affairs of lo- 
calities,” that “we must, as far as 
practicable, make the taxing pow- 
ers of localities permanent, so they 
will not have to come back to Al- 
bany year after year asking further 
extensions.” 

The new Governor’s stand seemed 
to shut the door tight against the 
suggested state-enabling-act’s re- 
peal. The desirability of recom- 
mending this to the Legislature for- 
mer Governor Dewey directed the 
Bird Commission, last summer, to 
study, in its survey of the effects of 
the five percent impost on the me- 
tropolitan motion picture industry. I 
The report has not yet been made 
public. 


Expand Overseas 
Market for Metro 
Narrow-Gaugers 

A campaign to expand the over- 
seas market for 16m films and to 
ch^lk up a new' gross record for 
Metro’s narrow-gauge operation 
has been launched by Loew’s In- 
ternational. The drive will run 
through the 1955 calendar year un- 
der the direction of R. Haven Fal- 
coner, the company’s 16m sales 
manager. 

The sales pitch is keyed to Met- 
ro’s 10th anni pioneer opening of 
the 16m market abroad. Plan to 
enter the 16m field was developed 
during the summer of 1945 after 
Arthur M. Loew, Loew’s Interna- 
tional prexy, and Orton H. Hicks, 
the company’s 16m director, both 
U. S. Army officers in World War 
II, had seen what 16m had ac- 
complished under rugged field con- 
ditions. 

From this observation sprang 
(Continued on page 18) 


LOGAN CREDITS 



By GENE ARNEEL 

Elia Kazan’s success in pictures 
is credited by Joshua Logan as 
stimulating Hollywood’s new show 
of interest ^n legit theatre talents. 
Logan makes the point that the 
two fields are basically the same 
and capable directors identified 
with the stage should be equally 
adept in filmmaking. Actually, the 
screen gives the turn-caller a 
greater scope to work with, he 
adds. 

Kazan’s most recent pic, “On the 
Waterfront,” has been both a com- 
mercial and artistic click, latter oik 
the basis of the majority of press 
notices. 

Logan, who’s director, co-pro- 
ducer and coauthor of the current 
musical, “Fanny,” has been signed 
by Columbia to direct the upcom- 
ing “Picnic,” adaptation of the Wil- 
liam Inge play. This will be his 
first such assignment. He recently 
completed the screenplay for “Mis- 
ter Roberts” at Warners. (Credit 
line on this, incidentally, is to be 
determined by the Screen Writers 
Guild since three scripts had been 
written for “Roberts,” including 
Logan’s). 

Further evidencing Hollywood’s 
legit attention is the deal set the 
past week for Robert Lewis to 
direct “Anything Goes,” Bing 
Crosby starrer, at Paramount. This 
also is to be a first pic direction 
job. Lewis’ legit work has included 
the staging of “Teahouse of the 
August Moon,” “Brigadoon” and 
“Witness for the Prosecution." 

Logan is high on the idea of di- 
recting in Hollywood, and makes 
(Continued on page 24) 


Top Shakespearians of Europe 
To Dub 20th’s Prince of Players’; 
Deleted Scenes for School Use? 


‘Pinoke’ Surprise 

Credit Walt Disney’s “Pinoc- 
chio” with a rare boxoffice 
performance. When this fea- 
ture cartoon was first released 
in 1940, the domestic returns 
on a full playoff amounted to 
$1,700,000. In the past year, 
the usually secondary reissue 
brought $1,800,000. 

Reason is that today’s mar- 
ket is stronger and a Disney 
film of this nature is timeless. 
“Pinoke” looks for sure to 
make- Variety’s list of all- 
time grossers ($4,000,000 and 
up> when it goes into redis- 
tribution the next time. 


COMMEND NICK BELA 
FOR AIDING CONGRESS 

Nicholas Bela, screen writer who 
had been among the witnesses ap- 
pearing before the House Un- 
American Activities Committee, 
has received a letter of thanks 
from Harold H. Velde, chairman 
of the Congressional unit. 

“Tl\e Committee,” w'rote Velde, 
“is appreciative of the cooperation 
and assistance that you have ex- 
tended it through your relating the 
knowledge you had acquired con- 
cerning subversive activities.” 


Hepburn-Ferrer Filming 
‘Ondine’ for Britain 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Audrey Hepburn and her hus- 
band. Mel Ferrer, will partner with 
the British production team of Mi- 
chael Powell and Emeric Press- 
burger in the Aiming abroad of 
Ondine,” in which couple starred 
on Broadway last season. A cor- 
poration is now being set up in 
London to produce picture. 

Under the arrangement, Miss 
Hepburn and Ferrer will co-star, 
Powell will direct and Pressburger 
"ill produce. 


‘Hints’ From Dulles 
On Pictures for Russia 
Too Vague — Distributors 

There is very little likelihood 
of any American film deal with the 
Russians until and unless the 
industry is specifically and offi- 
cially asked by the U. S. State 
Dept, to enter. into such negotia- 
tions in the national interest. 

That is the reaction of respon- 
sible company execs in the wake 
ol off-the-record hints that Secy, 
of State John Foster Dulles and 
U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, Char- 
les Bohlen, are in favor of Holly- 
wood pix being sold to the Soviet 
Union. . 

Strategy re the Russians was 
discussed by the company presi- 
dents at a meet in N.Y. last year. 
One of the views expressed at the 
meet was that of 20th-Fox’s Spyros 
P. Skouras who felt that, if a deal 
was made with Moscow, it should 
include every’ picture made, with 
the Russians not given an option to 
pick-and-choose as they’ve done in 
the past. It’s pointed out. however, 
that this "selective” process also 
works in favor of the Americans 
who can then withhold films that 
might easily be misinterpreted by 
the Soviets to create an unfavor- 
able impression of the U.S. 


JOE JUSTMAN JOINS 
FDR JR/S JAMAICA CO. 

Joseph Justman, president of 
Motion Picture Center Studios, 
Hollywood, is set for election to 
the board of Base Metals Mining 
Corp. 

Outfit, of which Franklin D. 
Roosevelt Jr. is board chairman, 
controls all gas and oil rights on 
the island of Jamaica. 


N.Y. Agents Form 
Federation, Seek 
Business Voice 

Holding that agents in general, 
and especially those in New York 
City, have long been without voice 
in decisions directly affecting their 
earnings and business conditions, 
application has been filed in Al- 
bany for incorporation of the 
Federation of Artists’ Representa- 
tive Representatives. Inc. Found- 
ing parents are Henry C. Brown, 
temporary chairman, Miriam How- 
ell, Lucy Kroll, Robert Lantz, 
Gloria Safier, Peter Witt and Olga 
Lee. 

There will be three classes of 
membership so that any agent, no 
matter how small, may join and 
participate in the Federation. 

It’s planned to campaign to get 
under the tent all agents now “en- 
franchised” by Actors Equity, 
American Federation of Television 
and Radio Artists and the Screen 
Actors Guild. 


National Boxoffice Survey 

Biz Continues Strong; ‘Sea’ No. 1, ‘Cruz’ 2d, - 
‘Show Biz’ 3d, ‘Heart’ 4th, ‘Pagan’ 5th 


Powell-AHyson Own Firm 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Dick Powell and June Allyson 
are entering own indie production 
activity. Couple have incorporated 
Pamrick Productions to make 
motion pictures. 

Initialer will probably be “The 
Floater,” authored by Lawrence 
Taylor, which Powell, who prexies 
new company, will produce and 
direct. 

Plans call for Miss Allyson to 
star in certain Pamrick films. 


Usual post-holiday week in- 
fluences are being felt In current 
session at first-run theatres over 
the country, but the downbeat is 
surprisingly mild in numerous 
cities compared with what would 
be normally expected. The weather 
continued favorable in many keys 
although snow and rain was an 
adverse factor in some portions 
of the midwest. Key cities gener- 
ally reported one of the biggest 
Xmas-New Year’s weeks in years. 

“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” 
(BV) is taking over No. 1 spot, 
edging out “Vera Cruz” (UAf] 
mainly by dint of total coin and 
number of playdates. “Sea” ranges j 
mainly from big to smash. In tak- 
ing second place, “Cruz” showed a 
great improvement over the first | 
week out and hints further big 
coin. Pic is beating “High Noon” 
coin in many locations while in 
others it is topping “Moulin 
Rouge.**. 

“Show Business” (20th), which 
was champ its initial stanza around, 
is capturing third position. This 
big musical tended to taper off in 
some keys on extended-runs. 
Fourth money goes to “Deep in 
My Heart” <M-G), still big in fifth 
round at N. Y. Music Hall. 

“Sign of Pagan” <U>, which 
showed promise its first session 
out, is winding up fifth, with some 
uniformly sock to great dates. 
“Silver Chalice” (WB) is finishing 
sixth. “Cinerama” (Indie) will take 
seventh spot. 

“Young At Heart” (WB) is 


Plan under which the top Euro- 
pean interpreters of Shakespeare 
would be called in to dub the 
dramatic scenes in 20th-Fox’s 
“Prince of Players,” the Edwin 
Booth biog, is being mulled by the 
company, according to Philip 
Dunne, the pic’s producer-director. 
The original version stars the Old 
Vic’s Richard Burton. 

Dunne opined that, if the project 
works out. it would give the film a 
valuable promotional handle in 
Europe. He also expressed the w ish 
that something could be done to 
save and use the many Shakespear- 
ean scenes in “Prince." Several of 
these sequences were shot but left 
out of the film in the final editing. 

These scenes, interpreted by Bur- 
ton with great skill, are seen of 
great possible value in schools, etc. 
However, they’d have to be reduced 
to 16m, and 20th so far hasn’t paid 
any attention to the domestic nar- 
row-gauge market. In fact, con- 
sidering the time and cost factors 
involved, indications are that 20th 
is ready to abandon its 16m market 
in the U. S. as far as its Cincina- 
Scopers are concerned. For school 
(Continued on page 23) 


Circuits Ready Plea For 
Government Consent To 
Their Feature-Making 

Theatre Owners of America is 
seeking a meeting with the Dept, 
of Justice on the possibility of the 
Government agency allowing the 
former affiliated theatres to enter 
production. A letter requesting the 
conference has been sent to Stan- 
ley N. Barnes, head of the antitrust 
division, TOA prexy E. D. Martin 
disclosed in Newr York last week. 

Purpose of the session, according 
to Martin, would be to allow TOA 
to express its viewpoint and think- 
ing on the subject. TOA would be 
(Continued on page 20) 


capturing eighth position, with “3- 
Ring Circus” (ParD rounding out 
the Big Nine list. The Martin- 
Lewis comedy was much stronger 
in the two proceding weeks. “Ro- 
meo and Juliet” (UA), just out 
in release to any extent, and “The 
Detective” (Col) are the two run- 
ner-up pix. 

“Country Girl” (Par), still sock 
in fourth N. Y. week, is proving 
equally great in L.A. “Violent 
Men” (Col), another new pic, is 
snappy in Providence and hefty in 
L.A. “Gate of Hell” (Indie) is 
proving comparably as big in L.A. 
as it has been at the N. Y. Guild. 

“Destry” (U) is rated fine in 
Balto and Indianapolis. “Aida” 
<IFE> is repeating its N.Y. success 
in Chi and Balto. “Bread, Love, 
Dreams,” also from IFE, shapes 
big in Boston and Denver and good 
in Cleveland. 

“Trouble in Glen” (Rep) is 
smash in Toronto. “So This Is 
Paris” <U> looms big in Chi. 
"Hansel and Gretel” (RKO) is fast 
in Chi. 

“Star Is Born” (WB)), wow in 
Toronto, is good in N. Y. and okay 
in L.A. “Desiree” (20th), okay in 
Balto, looks modest in L.A. 

“Barefoot Contessa” (UA), good 
in L. A., shapes socko in Pitt. 
“Four Guns to Border” ( U » is tor- 
rid in Toronto. “Athena”’ (M-G), 
slow in N. Y., is rated okay in 
Washington. 

(Complete Boxofjice Reports oh 
Pages 8-9). 



Trade Mark Registered 
FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN 
Published Weekly by VARIETY. INC 
Harold Erichs, President 
154 West 46th St New York 36. N Y 
JUdson 2-2700 

Hollywood 21 

6311 Yucca Street 
Hollywood 9 1141 
Washington 4 

1292 National Press Building 
STerling 3-5445 

Chicago 11 

612 No Michigan Avo. 
DEIaware 7-4984 

London WC> 

8 St. Martin’s PI Trafalgar Sq. 
Temple Bar 5041 


SUBSCRIPTION 

Annual 810 Foreign 81) 

Single Copies ... 25 Cents 


ABEL GREEN Editor 


Vol 197 No. 6 


INDEX 

Bills 66 

Chatter 74 

Concert-Opera 72 

Film Reviews 6 

House Reviews 65 

Inside Pics 18 

Inside Radio-TV 44 

International 16 

Legitimate 67 

Literati 73 

Music 50 

New Acts 65 

Night Club Reviews 58 

Obituaries 66 

Pictures 3 

Radio-Television 25 

Radio Reviews 30 

Record Reviews 50 

Frank Scully 2 

Television Reviews 34 

TV-Films 47 

Vaudeville 58 

Wall Street 15 

DAILY VARIETY 

(Published In Hollywood by 
Daily Variety. Ltd.) 

813 a Year 820 Foreign 


PICTURES 


\VednM<lay, January 12, 1955 


MARILYN MONROE, GIRL PRESIDENT, 
TELLS OF HER CONTRACT DEMAND 


Delaney’s Views 

Crux of the contract issue 
involving Marilyn Monroe ap- 
pears to be the manner, if any, 
in which the original contract 
was terminated. It runs to 
1958. with yearly options. As 
Delaney explained it Monday 
(10'. 20th picked up its ’54-'55 
option, but the letter inform- 
ing Miss Monroe of that fact 
included a reference to the 
two pix — •‘Showbusiness*’ and 
•'Itch'’ — as coming under the 
“new” contract which, at that 
time, was in the negotiation 
stage. Eventually, Miss Mon- 
roe repudiated the new docu- 
ment. and it was never signed. 

It's Delaney’s contention 
that the studio's letter repre- 
sented an admission on the 
part of the studio that it con- 
sidered the old contract in- 
valid. He claimed that 20th 
had subsequently agreed that 
the star had made her last 
two films for the studio with- 
out any contract, a contention 
that is strenuously denied by 
20th execs. Delaney also 
pointed out that, on the basis 
of her S1.500 a week. Miss 
Monroe actually got only $22.- 
500 for "Seven Year Itch,” out 
of which she’d have to pay 
her agent. Charles Feldman, 
his percentage. Feldman, he 
said, is understood to have a 
cut of the pic. 

Delaney continued his in- 
sistence that Miss Monroe's 
contractual difficulties would 
be worked out "to mutual sat- 
isfaction” with her studio 
where she is one of the strong- 
est marquee - names on the 
contract list. Miss Monroe left 
for the Coast over the week- 
end to finish up "Itch” and in- 
tends to return East after that. 
Her differences with the stu- 
dio will be put to a legal test, 
it appears, when she's handed 
her next assignment. 


By FRED HIFT 

Clad in white satin and wrapped 
in ermine, a demure Marilyn Mon- 
roe in N. Y. last week <7* had a 
surprise script ready for 20th-Fox. 

Plot involved her "Declaration of 
Independence” from the studio and 
from the type of roles she’s been 
playing to date. 

Looking fit after a "rest” of sev- 
eral weeks at a friend’s Connecti- 
cut hideout. Miss Monroe told a 
mob of jostling reporters that in 
mid-December she had formed her 
own producing company, Marilyn 
Monroe Productions, Inc. Purpose 
of the new outfit, she explained 
rather vaguely, was to make "bet- 
ter pictu-es" and also to spread 
her talents into other media, pri- 
marily television. 

Apart from that, the actress. J 
whose entire career has been at 
20th and whose popularity is based 
to a large part on her sexy por- 
tray a Is, said she was looking for 
roles more apt to bring out her j 
talents as a dramatic performer. 

Towards that end. in any new con- , 
tract with 20th. she'd want di- 1 
rector and script approval, she in- 
sisted. 

Both Miss Monroe and her new 
attorney. Frank Delaney, at whose 
swank eastside house the press 
powwow was staged, maintained 
that the actress at the moment is 
not under contract to 20th: that 
her last two features for 20th — 

“The e's No Business Like Show- 
business” and "The Seven Year 
Itch” — were made without an op- 
erative contractual arrangement 
with the studio, and that no new 
deal with 20th had been signed or 
was in the wind. 

Delaney supplemented the star’s , 
remarks further, stating it would 
be "a great mistake" to assume she 
still had a contract with 20th. He 
declared that there had been mu- 
tual agreement between Miss Mon- 
roe and 20th to terminate the con- 
tract which was signed in 1951. No 
question of money was involved, 
he said. 

20th Denial — 

All of this found a hollow echo rui p n . 

at 20th. whose reps were not at i film LOUDCll KCSCIltS 
the press confab, and who weren't 
prepared for the bombshell. Ac- 
cording to Lew Schreiber, 20th stu- 
dio exec w ho was in N. Y. last week 
(he said it wasn’t on account of 
Miss Monroe', the star’s exclusive Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

contract with 20th still has four The Hollywood AFL Film Coun- 
years to go and. as far as the stu- cil and the Permanent Charities 
dio is concerned, is binding. He Committee are aligned against Ra- 
flatly denied any agreement to ter- dio - Television - Recording - Ad- 
minate the 1951 deal. vertising Charities. Inc., in a juris- 

The Monroe interview for the j dictional battle over charity collec- 
most part consisted of a mad , tion rights in the ranks of televi- 
scramble on the part of photogs. i sion workers. 


No Serial Number on Stub; 
New Ticket Thwarts Any 
‘Checkers’ of Attendance 

Minneapolis, Jan. 11. . 

North Central Allied in its cur- 
rent bulletin calls attention to a 
new type of admission ticket now- 
being manufactured which is de- 
signed to thwart checking of the 
boxoflfice through ticket numbers. 
The ticket is serially numbered, 
the bulletin says, but the patron 
receives only an unnumbered por- 
tion. 

"There are plenty of reasons why 
people want to check your busi- 
ness,” the bulletin points out. 
"They may concern the raising of 
I your rent, film rentals and union 
wage scale, the imposition of a 
! local admission tax. the building 
of an opposition theatre or the 
bidding against you for product. 

"This new ticket is perforated 
i lengthwise. The numbered por- 
tion remains in the machine, while 
, the patron is given the unnum- 
bered part. These tickets will fit 
1 into the General Register or the 
Gold Seal ticket machines. All you 
need is a special magazine for $10 
i each.” 


To Marilyn: Sorry, No Dostoievsky 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

On Jan. 8. 20th-Fox issued the following official statement: 

Marilyn Monroe has a firm contract with 20 th Century Fox for 
her exclusive services until Aug. 8 of 1958. 

Miss Monroe asked for and was offered a new contract, which 
she and her representatives and legal advisers agreed to, but which 
she has not signed. Natural ly, this leaves her current long term 
contract in full force and the studio will use every legal means 
to see that she lives up to every provision of it. 

When Miss Monroe first came to the studio in August of 1946. 
she received a salary of $125 a tceek. Miss Monroe under her 
existing contract is receiving $1,500 per w^ek. In the next period 
of her contract she will receive $2 000 a week to be followed by 
$2,500 a week and during the last year of her contract she will 
receive $3,500 a week. 

The new contract which Miss Monroe has failed to sign calls 
for a salary not less than $100,000 per picture 
Before Miss Monroe was signed to her present long term con- 
tract. she had tried her talents at tiro other major studios, neither 
of which retained her on a long-term deal. Since she has been at 
20th Century-Fox Miss Monroe was given every consideration, 
surrounded by the finest creative talent available and cast only 
in multi-million-dollar productions and given a careful and world- 
wide publicity campaign. - 

20th Century-Fox is very satisfied with both the artistic and 
financial results from the pictures in which Miss Monroe has ap- 
peared. Among others these include, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” 
“ How to Marry a Millionaire.” “ River of No Return,” “There's No 
Business Like Show Business ” and “The Seven Year Itch.” 

20 th Century-Fox has no intention of granting Miss Monroe’s 
request that she play in “Brothers Karamazov ” by Dostoievsky. 

Censor Board Jobs As 'Plum ’ 


MEMPHIS STANDS PAT 


WARNERS RELEASING 


Binford at 88 Reappointed Chief 
Censor — He’s Commended 


Memphis, Jan. 11. 
Lloyd T. Binford hfis been reap- 
pointed chief censor of this mu- 
, nicipality. At 88, there had been 

I AIT\ ‘fflNFinFNTlAI 1 talk that Binford might be put to 
L/1II O 1/VllIlUUlimL | pasture. He himself suggested he 

Warner Bros, has closed a deal might not complete another term, 
with Edward Small to distribute 


By OTTO PREMINGER 

Hollywood. 

Ever since those censors, in full 
cry, started .baying at the film ver- 
sion of "The Moon Is Blue," I not 
only have been hitting back, I have 
done a bit of exploratory work. My 
wonderment now is why there are 
not more state and municipal cen- 
sors? It certainly supplies some 
of the juiciest plum-picking ever 
devised by politicians. 

Last spring when the U. S. Su- 
preme Court overruled New York 


the Clarence Greene-Russell Rouse 
production of "New York Confi- 
dential.” film suggested by the 
title of the book by Jack Lait and 
Lee Mortimer. 

Small has been dickering with 


The job of chief censor pays $200 
a month, not sumptuous, but the ' an “ Ohio censors, and in rather a 


headlines are wonderful. Other 
four censors, of which three are 
women, labor for purity gratuitous- 
ly. All were reappointed, too. 
Mayor Frank Tobey commended 


turgidly phrased opinion hinted 
that all state film censorship might 
well be unconstitutional, many of 
us in the film industry and 'allied 
endeavors emitted a small whoop 


** *«*«.** , ma> ui x i aim a u ut j vuiiiiuv. uuv u - i i • n . , y. 

a number of distribution companies the censors for performing their delight. But the Court stopped 


Air-Ad-Phono Boys’ 
Charity Collections 


reporters and assorted friends and 
relatives of the Delaneys to get 
within at least hearing distance of 
the gal. Questioning started on the 
second floor, with Miss Mon oe 


RTRA interference, according to 
the Film Council, in a long resolu- 
tion voted at its weekly meeting, 
has resulted in a hampering of 
PCC’s annual collections, and caus- 


to take on the 
United Artists 
Metro reportedly also had the pic- 
ture under consideration. 

WB’s success with similar type 
films may have been a factor in 
the selection of the Burbank 
studio. The company chalked up 
socko returns with Jack Webb’s 
"Dragnet” and previously with 
“Them,” another indie-made ex- 
ploitation-type picture. 

"New York Confidential” was 
produced by Greene and directed 
by Rouse with the pair collaborat- 
ing on the original screenplay. It 
stars Broderick Crawford, Richard 
Conte. Anne Bancroft. J. C. Car- 
roll Naish, and Marilyn Maxwell. 


film, including j duties "with integrity, efficiency 
Columbia and i and in the public interest.” 

There has not been any notice- 
able inclination in Memphis to re- 
gard the bluenose exploits as re- 
ported throughout the nation, and 


there; the state censors blithely 
did not. They weren't going to 
surrender such lush political 
plums. And now it doesn't look 
like the Court is going to press 
the matter. 

Six states and a few cities — such 


Uruguay Festival Party 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 
Fourteen Hollywood personalities 
plane tomorrow for Punta Del 
Este. Uruguay, as official reps of 


whispering to a group of reporters ing confusion among both employ- the Association of Motion Picture bestselling Morton Thompson 

forming a tight little circle around ers and employees. The resolution Producers at the Uruguayan Film novel. Kramer hired a man and. at 

hen this proved unsatisfac- asserts RTRA has refused to con- Festival* Jan. 14-30. his own expense had him make 

(Continued on page 24 ) fine its solicitations to live tv, ra- Party will comprise Delmer i the rounds of big department 

dio. recording and advertising Daves. Dean Jagger. Van Johnson, I stores all over the country to pro- 

fields. John Lund. Fletcher Markle. Mer- \ mote the book. Purpose of course 

To this charge. Bert Zinn. exec cedes McCambridge, Dorothy Me- is to keep interest in the tome 

secretary of RTRA. replied that the Guire. Wayne Morris. Pat O'Brien, I alive until the film bows in the 

attack on his org was unjust, since Walter Pidgeon, Lizabeth Scott, | theatres, 

the Film Council had been advised Elaine Stewart, Claire Trevor and 
by his group that none of its mem- May Wynn. Sponsored by the South 
bers would be solicited by RTRA. I American country’s government, 


even in Europe, as doing any dis- , . w .. 

credit to the reputation of Mem- f s . Chlca f.°. ant * Memphis main- 
phis 1 1 a l n politician-manned censor 

Picture Problem: Close 
Time Gap of Release 
Based on Bestseller 

With lots of bestsellers on their 
production skeds, film companies 
are looking for closer ties with 
publishers so as to exploit the lit- 
erary properties to mutual ad- 
vantage. 

Story - department execs in N Y. 
have been frankly impressed with 
the job done by Stanley Kramer on 
Not As a Stranger,” based on the 


WORLDLY GLAMOUR 
HARD TO COME BY 

Hollywood. Jan! 11. 

Start of 20th- Fox’ "Lord Van- 
ity" has been set back to June, fol- 
lowing casting of French actress 
Martine Carol, new pactee, for 
femme star role. Film originally 
was slated to roll last Nov. 1, but. 
studio reports, "when it appeared 
impossible to find anyone else with 
‘sufficient worldly glamour’ to fill 
the demands of the role, it was de- 
cided to delay the picture until 
Miss Carol became available.” 


boards. To put it bluntly, but 
necessarily plainly, these groups 
are not shears-sw inging brigades of 
righteous watch men protecting 
public morals. They are politicians 
collecting, and living off, taxes. 
Taxes scooped not out of the pock- 
ets of the general public, but out 
of the coffers of the film distribu- 
tion companies. 

These civic censors pass upon 
the "fitness” of films to be shown 
(Continued on page 20) 


and to his knowledge 
been so solicited. 


none had 


Sues Lasky Inc. on ’47 
Note Covering ‘Miracle’ 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 


ALLIED ARTISTS SETS 
BANK REVOLVING FUND 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Allied Artists has closed a one- 
year deal with the Security-First 
National Bank of Los Angeles and 
the Bankers Trust Co., N. Y., for 
a revolving loan of a maximum of 

$1,750,000. expiring Jan. 1, 1956. x .. _ ., , ... 

I Arrangement also permits guaran- T {?, . •• p A. J’ 

TP be filme d partially in Hong 


event is similar to last year’s Bra- 
zilian and Argentine festivals, to 
which Hollywood also sent delega- 
tions, and will be attended by film 
groups from most of the world's 
film industries. 

Three American films will be en- 
, tered, including Columbia's "The 
Caine Mutiny.” Paramount's 
I "Sabrina” and Walt Disney's “The 
Living Desert.” 


William Holden inked by 20th to 
star in "A Many Splendored 


Problem faced by the companies 
is the gap between the purchase of 
a book and release of the pic based 
on it. In many instances, public 
interest in the novel has lagged by 
the time the film reaches the 
screen. There have been cases, and 
20th-Fox’s "The Egyptian” is one, 
(Continued on page 20) 


Jesse L. Lasky Productions. Inc., tees up to $500,000 covering bank 

loans to indie producers releasing 
through AA. 

Pact, disclosed by prexv Steve 
Broidv and exec veepee-treasurer 
George D. Burrows, supplants pre- 


still owes S188.797 28 on a promis- 
sory note for $1,472,696.47. plus 
$53,214.35 repping A'} interest. 
Bank of America National Trust & 
Savings Assn, claims in a suit filed 


Jan. 5 in L A. Superior Court. Ad- vious loan agreement with sanuj 


ditiorallv. hank is out to collect 
$2,615 in attorney fees. 

Film firm signed note June 30. 
1947. complaint states, for "The 
Miracle of the Bells" financing. Pic- 


ture. on which bank received a 
chattel mortgage, subsequently was nual amounts of $70,000 
s<:d by bank for $85,000, which go towards financing 


was applied to principal. 


banks, which allowed up to $1.- 
250.000 loan maximum. Deal also 
has been negotiated with DeLuxe 
Laboratories. Inc., of N Y, effective 
last Nov. 26. for loan of $350,000. 
payable over five-year period in an- j 

Coin will 
A A s ex- 


Kong. 


, panded production program. 


I 


Europe to N.Y. 

Geraldine Brooks 
Claude Dauphin 
Dino deLaurentiis 
Paulette Goddard 
Huntington Hartford 
Witold Malcuzynski 
Y'ehudi Menuhin 
Amru Sani 
Marjorie Steele 
Elizabeth Taylor 
Michael Wilding 
Alan Young 


N. Y. to l. A. 

Walter Abel 
George Brandt 
Frederick Brisson 
Glenn Denning 
Nat Dorfman 
Herb Golden 
Sidney Gross 
Reub Kaufman 
I-isa Kirk 
Joshua Logan 
Charles C. Moskowitz 
Gene Nelson 
James P. O'Neill 
Harriet Parsons 
Jack Rose 
Jane Russell 
Nicholas M. Schenck 
Lew Schreiber 
Melville Shavelson 
Jean Simmons 
Peter Witt 
Adolph Zukor 


L. A. to N. Y. 

Pier Angeli 
Art Baker 
Mort Blumenstock 
Dagmar 
Dennis Day 
George Durgora 
Dan Duryea 
Frank Fine 
Eddie Fisher 
Jackie Gleason 
Lew Grade 
Bonita Granvills 
Don Hartman 
Larry Kent 
King Sisters 
Robert E. Kintner 
Dorothy Kirsten 
Connie Krebs 
Robert F. Lewine 
Rudy Mate 
Marie McDonald 
William Perlberg 
Cesar Romero 
Helen Rose 
Frank Rosenberg 
Natalie Schafer 
George Seaton 
Don Segal 
George T. Shupert 
George Sidney 
James Stabile 
Walter Wanger 
William Wyler 

N. Y. to Europe 

Harry Adler 
Joy Batchelor 
John Halas 
Richard Mealand 
Steven Pallos 
Val Parnell 
Fthel Linder Reiner 
Harold Steinmun 
Max Weinberg 
George Weltner 


Wednesday* January 12, 1955 


PICTURES 



MAJORS THRIVE ON ‘B’ PIX 


Duals Still Big in U.S A 

CinemaScope or no, the double bill is still riding high through- 
out the U.S. despite difficulties experienced by the theatres in 
digging up supporting features. 

At the time of the introduction of the widescreen, distribution 
execs had hopes that the new development might bring with it 
a return to single billing. 20th-Fox, for one, went into the pro- 
duction of elaborate shorts to pad its C'Scope shows. However, 
exhibs are sticking to their guns and, in most parts of the country, 
continue to doublebill. 

Question of whether or not the public wants two features for 
one admission has been kicked around in the industry for many 
>ears. It’s one of the phenomena of our day that, whereas public 
opinion tests may tend to show' a preference for single features, 
the b.o. shows differently. Theatres that have tested a single 
feature policy are inevitably returning to dualers. 

With CinemaScope. some situations have doublebilled this type 
pic, but for the most part they’re coupling a CinemaScoper with 
a standard film. One of the explanations for the public’s continued 
adherence to doublefeaturing is that the resistance comes primarily 
from the younger folk who go to see a film on a date. Single 
bill doesn’t meet their time-filling needs. 

Lester Foresees Revived Powerful UFA 
But May Take 2-3 Years To Jockey 

Revival of the UFA production-4- 

distribution-exhibition combine in 
Germany, which appears likely, 
will provide that country with its 
most powerful unit, and a very 
necessary one to boot, according to 
Henry Lester, rep of Carlton Film 
of Munich and of N. F. Film Dis- 
tribution Co. 

On a Visit to N. Y. last week. 

Lester said the German industry 
would bentrfit from the existence 
of one large and powerful company, 
particularly in view of the uncer- 
tainty surrounding the future of 
government film subsidies both via 
the federal government and the 
various states within the Bonn 
republic. He added that any offi- 
cial approval of UFA would, of 
course, be contingent on its lead- 
ership. 

Lester is here to discuss, among 
other things, various pending co- 
production arrangements W’ith 
Munio Podhorzer, prexy of United 
German Film Enterprises, which 
reps Carlton in the U. S. Guenther 
Stapenhorst, Carlton topper, is due 
in N. Y. later this month to set up 
final details of “The World Be- 
yond." which he will do as a co- 
production with Paul White, for- 
mer Selznick exec. Film will have 
a Republic release. 

Lester said the German produc- 
ers are becoming increasingly con- 
scious of making films with a for- 
eign market potential. 

CinemaScope was making prog- 
ress in Germany, Lester reported, 
even though some distribs are still 
resisting it, feeling that its wide- 
spread installation might encour- 
age an even larger influx of Ameri- 
can pix. Carlton is sold on C’Scope 
and is coproducing “Oh, Rosalinde” 

(Continued on page 24) 


MANY EXCEPTIONS TV Bally Tools Inadequate-UPT; 


‘Mighty* Higher 

Variety’s annual publica- 
tion of the big boxoffice pic- 
tures has drawn a complaint 
from Warner Bros., the beef 
being its product was under- 
quoted. 

Thus, the domestic distribu- 
tion revenue tallies are revised 
to give “High and the Mighty” 
$6,000,000 and “Dragnet" 
$4,700,000. 


Warners Step Up 
Own Producing 

Warner Bros., one of the most 
active major studios in the distri- 
bution and financing of indie prod- 
uct, apparently J)lans to step up its 
output of exclusively homemade 
pictures. Addition of Frank 
Rosenberg recently as a staff pro- 
ducer now gives the company a 
total Of four contract producers. 
Others are Henry Blanke, David 
Weisbart, and Willis Goldbeck. 

Rosenberg, who moved over to 
Warners from 20th-Fox, has been 
assigned four pictures as part of 
(Continued on page 22) 


IN ALL-BIG ERA 


Lesser-scale product seems still 
to have an economically important 
place in today’s market. While the 
j majority of major studio adminis- 
trators insist they can get along 
only with “quality” pictures, the 
fact is that filmmakers dealing in 
non - epic projects are making 
money, too. 

Robert S. Benjamin, United Art- 
ists board chairman, disclosed this 
week that UA in 1954 had a global 
gross of $43,100,000. This is the 
highest in the company’s history, 
progressing from $19,900,000 in 
1951, $29,300,000 in 1952 and $38,- 
600.000 in 1953. 

Significantly, UA last year had 
only two films In wide circulation 
that raked in fancy coin. “Apache” 
and “Barefoot Contessa” are listed 
at over $3,000,000 in domestic rent- 
als each. There were no entries be- 
tween S2.000.000 and $3,000,000. 

Accounting for the lecord gross 
in the case of UA were the many 
pix in the more or less “modest” 
category. Distributor has been re- 
leasing films at the rate of about 
four a month; the big payoff, it 
follows was via quantity. 

While the economy at Loew’s. 
Paramount, et al., is geared to 
hefty stakes in each film. Universal 
and Columbia, as well as UA, show 
evidence that lower-case pic enter- 
prises can turn a profit. Col’s “Mi- 
ami Story," produced by Sam Katz- 
man with Barry’ Sullivan and Lu- 
ther Adler in the leads, is a $1,000,- 
000 domestic grosser. At U there 
was no great budget lavished on 
“Ma and Pa Kettle At Home” or 
“Francis Joins the WACS” but 
their U. S. and Canadian distribu- 
tion returns amount to $1,750,000 
and $1,900,000, respectively. 

RKO has an example of a mild 
budget offering yielding relatively 
good money in "Appointment in 
Honduras,” produced by Benedict 
Bogeaus with Glenn Ford and Ann 
Sheridan starred. The domestic 
revenue looks to hit $1,150,000. 

Major point underlined by some 
execs in distribution is that because 
“B’s” have been dropped by sev- 
eral studios, pix in this class which 
continue to be made stand an im- 
proved chance of wide playoff. 
: “Honduras,” for one, has had over 
; 12.000 exhibitor contracts in the 
domestic market and could go to 
‘ 14,000, 


Ask Longer, Pre-Tested Trailers 


To Whom—? 

Kansas City. Jan. 11. 

The newest thing in com- 
plaints came to Maurice Dru- 
ker, manager of Loew’s Mid- 
land Theatre, when he an- 
swered the phone one day last 
week. Every first run theatre 
at the time was playing a 
holdover, a situation which 
rarely occurs here. 

Said a femme voice. “To 
whom do I complain that there 
are no new pictures in town 
this .reek?” 


Ready New Test 
Of Air Media 


“Operation Saturation.” a project 
designed to gauge the effectiveness 

of radio and tv In the publicizing 
i of features, is being set up by the 
Associates' Advertising Committee, 
comprising the ad-pub toppers of 
American Broadcasting-Paf amount 
Theatres affiliates, and Earl J. 
Hudson, ABC v.p. on the Coast. 

Test, involving Universal's “Six 
Biidges to Cross” and the Warner 
Bros, film, “East of Eden,” will 
be staged in a series of twin towns, 
i.e. towns that are close to each 
other and of fairly equal popula- 
tion, weather conditions, etc. 

Sets of towns designated include 
Austin and El Paso, Texas; Hart- 
ford and New Haven. Conn.; At- 
lanta. Ga. and Charlotte, N. C.; 
Memphis, Tenn. and New Orleans, 
La.; Jackson, Miss, and Mobile, 
Ala.; Sioux Falls, S. D. and Fargo, 
N. D.; Rockford and Peoria. 111., 
and Sioux City, la. 

Project was originally discussed 
by Jerry Zigmond of Paramount 
Pictures Theatres Corp., Los An- 
geles. chairman of the Associates 
group, and Hudson. Involved is 
the “package purchase” of an- 
nouncements, film clips, publicity 
and exploitation gimmicks inte- 
grated into programs throughout 
the day. Included, too. will be 
promotion assists from disk jocks 
and plugs on women’s daytime pro- 

(Continued on page 20 • 


♦ Availability of more and better 
I promotional material would assure 
the studios of more widespread use 
of tv in the exhibition field. This 
is one of the conclusions arrived 
at in an exhaustive survey by 
American Broadcasting-Paramount 
Theatnes ad-pub execs on ways and 
means of pix promotion on radio 
and tv. 

The 41-page report and its re- 
commendations, the result of two 
meets of the circqjt’s Advertis- 
ing Committee, has been circulat- 
ed to circuit heads* and to the dis- 
tribs’ ad-pub toppers for study and 
reaction. The recommendations of 
the group are to be presented to 
the distribs’ advertising council by 
a circuit committee consisting of 
Emil Bernstecker, Harold Brown, 
Henry Plitt and David Wallerstein. 

Survey, involving chains in all 
i parts of the country, said exhibs’ 
i use of tv was so limited because 
' “the tools to work with supplied 
by the studios are frequently so 
j limited.” It also found that: 

A more imaginative approach to 
the making of tv trailers is needed, 
j “They should differ from theatre 
trailers as such, and have some of 
the novelty and variety of non-the- 
atrical trailers, such as cartoons; 
or perhaps a star or personality 
could be used to make the pitch. 

Before tv trailers are put to mass 
use. they should be tested by a 
group of advertising experts, rep- 
ping exhibs for their opinion. This 
could be done either by submitting 
the script or trailer. Also, tv trail- 
ers should be previewed in tv size 
by a lay audience. 

There should be more film clips 
available by the studios and the 
(Continued on page 20) 


METRO DISTRIBUTING 
ENGLISH ‘SVENGALr 

Departing from a long-estab- 
lished policy, Metro last week 
signed for western hemisphere 
distribution of a British picture, 
Renown’s “Svengali.” Deal was 
made on a percentage basis. It’s 
the first foreign import taken on 
by M-G for domestic handling in 
many years. Pic is in color. 

At the same time, another Brit- 
ish film, “Angela.” made by Steve 
Pallos as a British-Italo production 
and starring Dennis O'Keefe, 
Rosanna Brazzi and Mara Lane, 
" as scooped up by 20th-Fox last 
''eek for domestic release. Deal 
involved an outright sale. Film 
ls a murder mystery. 

I he Metro deal gives Renown’s 
George Minter major distribution 
oeals on three of the four Renown 
h'x on which the Trans-Lux circuit 
got a 50 ' o cut of the western 
'Continued on page 66) 

Tatelman-Wilder Combo 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Harry Tatelman. whose last pro- 
^f t ‘ on "'as “Underwater” while at 
‘‘KO. has set up shop w’ith writer 
Robert Wilder to indie produce 
latter’s “Bright Shadow.” 

A May start is set for picture, 
u >th financing already arranged. 


SAY EXHIBITORS FILM FINANCIAL GROUP 
NEEDS NO JUSTICE DEPT. SANCTION 


Under the registration statement 
filed with the Securities Bt Ex- 
change Commission, the Exhibitors 
Film Financial Group- Inc. is per- 
mitted to engage in almost any 
activity within the motion picture 
industry. Ben A. Trustman, legal 
counsel to the Theatre Owners of 
America sponsored financing out- 
fit, disclosed in New York last 
week. While the prime purpose 
of the Group will be to finance in- 
dependent production,| Trustman 
and TOA prexy E. U. Martin 
pointed out that it did not rule 
out production, distribution, or the 
granting of loans. 

Trustman and Martin, at a trade- 
press confab, stressed that Dept, 
of Justice approval was not neces- 
sary “for what we want to do” 
since the product financed by the 
Group will be available to all ex- 
hibitors on an equal basis and that 
no one will have a “pre-emptive" 
right. 

SEC approval allowing the regis- 
tration statement to become effec- 
tive was issued earlv this week. 
The SEC okay will permit the sale 
of the stock in interstate com- 
merce. Temporary directors of the 
film financing outfit met Thurs- 
day (6) to wind up last minute 
details on the qualification require- 
ments. “It was a tremendous and 
monumental job.” Martin said. 
Trustman, he said, had to work out 
details for the sale of the stock 


in different states, each of which 
have* different requirements. In 
some states, officers of the cor- 
poration are being qualified as 
salesmen for the stock. 

Following formal SEC approval, 
a series of meetings will be held 
in various cities throughout the 
country to acquaint exhibitors with 
the' plan. The temporary officers 
of the corporation will attend the 
various regional meetings to help 
in the sales pitch. First of these 
sessions is set for St. Louis, but 
no date has been selected. Prior 
to the scheduled meetings, a pros- 
pectus will be mailed to every ex- 
hibitor in the U. S. 

Permanent Officers 

Martin asserted that a perma- 
nent board of directors and of- 
ficers will be elected at the first 
stockholders meetings. No date 
has been set for this session, the 
date depending on the sale of the 
stock. According to Martin, if it is 
determined at the first stockholder 
session that an insufficient fund 
has been raised, the coin will be 
returned to the investors and TOA 
will foot the bill for all the ex- 
penses Involved up to that point. 

The Group’s initial issue will be 
100,000 shares of common stock 
at $100 par value. The entire issue 
will be up for sale first to exhibi- 
tors. then to others in the industry 
excluding the major distributors, 
and last to the general public. A 


kickoff fund of $10,000,000 is an- 
ticipated. Stock will te an over- 
the-counter security. 

Martin disclosed that the finan- 
cial corporation had been unable 
to accept pledges oecause it had 
not oeen legally in business until 
this week. He said that there has 
been a tremendous amount of in- 
terest throughout the country and 
the large circuits, although unable 
to participate because of the con- 
sent decrees, are lending more 
support. . 

.Details on the opening of a per- 
manent office will not be deter- 
mined, Martin said, until the 
project gets off the ground and 
“we know r Its scope and size.” 
Meanwhile, temporary headquar- 
ters are Sam Pinanski's office in 
Boston. The First National Bank 
of Boston has been named the de- 
pository. Asked if the Group 
planned to make loans from the 
Boston bank, Trustman said “it’s 
reasonable to expect that if our 
credit rating is good, we’ll be able 
to get additional funds from the 
First National Bank and other 
banks. 

The actual operational scope of 
the financial group will not be set 
until a permanent board is named. 
Martin said. However, he noted 
that it was not the present inten- 
tion to use the major distribs for 
the release of product, but that 
eventually this would be a matter 
for the board to decide. 


GALA SETTING FOR 2D 
CINERAMA ON FEB. 8 

The second picture in the Cin- 
erama medium. “Cinerama Holi- 
day.” produced by Louis de Roche- 
mont. will open at the Warner The- 
atre, N. Y., Tuesday evening Feb. 8. 
The current “This Ls Cinerama." 
which opened in N. Y. Sept. 30, 
1952, will end its run on Sunday. 
Feb. 6. The open day will be used 
to realign the projection equipment 
for the improved technical quality 
of the second film. 

“Cinerama Holiday" will be 
launched with a lavish klieg-light 
premiere. Stanley Warner Corp., 
holder of the production and ex- 
hibition rights to the medium, is 
busy lining up a sponsoring organi- 
zation for the preem, with the 
event probably going to a charity. 
While SW has selected the Feb. 8 
date, there’s a possibility of a 
I change to another date in February 
i should the sponsoring group re- 
quest it. 

The Gotham opening of “Holi- 
day" will be followed by similar 
preems in a number of other cities 
with Cinerama equipment. SW re- 
cently held a two-day meeting in 
New York to indoctrinate the Cin- 
erama field force in the advertising, 
publicity, and promotion plans for 
the upcoming attraction. Confab 
was attended by representatives 
from N. Y., Boston, Philadelphia, 
Detroit. Washington, St. Louis, and 
Pittsburgh. Similar sessions are 
scheduled for thfc field men of 
other Cinerama cities.- 

Prior to the posting of the clos- 
ing notice for ’This Is Cinerama," 
mail orders in New York dropped 
to about five a day. However, “last 
four weeks" ads in the newspapers 
resulted in a sudden business spurt, 
with mail orders zooming to 100 
per day. 


Co-Crodit on 'Roberts' 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Due to Mervyn LeRoy taking 
over direction of Leland Hayward’s 
“Mister Roberts” at Warners dur- 
ing the illness of John Ford, pic- 
ture will be released with co-direc- 
tor credit. 

Ford had to undergo emergency 
surgery during filming of the 
j feature. 



FILM REVIEWS 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


Vnderaaler! 

(SU PERSCOPE-COLOR) 


Treasure-hunting under the 
Caribbean with aqualung- 
equipped Jane Russell; deep- 
sea diving excitement and 
good b.o. prospects. 

Hollywood. Jan. 10. 

RKO release of Harry Tatelman pro- 
duction. Star* Jane Russell; costars Gil- 
bert Roland. Richard E*an. Lori Nelson; 
features Robert Keith. Joseph Calleia. 
Eugene Iglesias, Ric Roman. Directed by 
John St urges. Screenplay, Walter New- 
man :ba.«ed on a story by Hugh King and 
Robert B Bailey; camera (Technicolor!, 
Harry J Wild; underwater photographv 
Lamar Boren; editors. Stuart Gilmore. 
Frederic Knudtson: music. Roy Webb. 
Previewed Jan. 6. '55. Running time. 9» 
MINS. 

Theresa Jane Russell 

Dominie Gilbert R«dand 

Johnny Richard Egan 

Gloria Lon Nelson 

Father Cannon Robert Keith 

Rico Joseph Calleia 

Miguel Eugene Iglesias 

Jesus Ric Homan 

» Aspect ratio: 2 1) 


Svengali 

(BRITISH— COLOR) 
British film version of Gerald 
du Maurier yarn with Hilde- 
garde Neff and Donald Wolfit 
starred; sombre melodrama 
most suitable for arty houses. 


London, Jan. 4 . 

Renown Pictures release or George 
Minter production. Stars Hildegarde Neff. 
Donald Wolfit. Terence Morgan. Directed 
by Noel Langley. Screenplay. Noel Lang- 
ley. from story by George du Maurier; 
cjmera lEastmancolor I, Wilkie Cooper; 
editor. John Pomeroy: music, William 
Alwyn. At Gaumont, London. Running 
time. II MINS. 

Trilby Hildegarde Neff 

Svcngali Donald Wolfit 

Hilly Terence Morgan 

Laud Derek Bond 

Taffy Paul Rogers 

Gecko David Kossoff 

Durien Hubert Gregg 

Patrick O'Ferr'l Noel Purcell 

Carrel Alfie Bass 

Barizel Harry Secombe 

Police Inspector Peter llling 

Mrs. Bagot Joan Haythorne 

Dubose Hugh Cross 

l)odor David Oxley 

Lambert Richard Pearson 


head of the air rescue squadron, 
part of whose job is to convince 
his pilots that they're on airborne 
missions of mercy and not to en- 
gage in grandstand heroics. Arthur 
Franz, as a former jet jockey now 
under Hayden’s command, is the 
one who'd rather take on the 
enemy in combat, until he learns — 
without surprise to the audience — 
the wisdom of Hayden's counsel. 

Direction by Herbert L. Strock 
is commonplace, and the script 
similarly allows no ingenuity to 
come through. Music and editing 
contribute little. Gene. 


One Ivood Turn 

(BRITISH) 


Norman Wisdom’s second Brit- 
ish comedy; Fine for the home 
market but unlikely in the U.S. 


I 


This tale of high adventure un- 
der the Caribbean puts together a 
number of salable entertaintnent 
features that can mean money at 
the boxoffice. Not the least of the 
commercial aspects is an aqualung- 
equipped Jane Russell mermaiding 
in the ocean depths. Her name and 
the generally okay excitement 
stirred up by' the treasure-hunting 
plot should attract good business. 

Film is HKO's first SuperScope 
release. The 2-to-l aspect ratio 
produces a big picture excellently 
proportioned to show off the pic- 
torial splendors achieved by Harry 
J. Wild's lensing above the water 
and by Lemar Boren’s under the 
ocean. SuperScope's versatility was 
further demonstrated at the pre- 
view by the use of a CinemaScope 
projection lens, point being that 
the RKO-sponsored optical pro- 
cess is adaptable to houses already 
equipped for anamorphic projec- 
tion. 

Picture is a production first for 
Harry Tatelman and the showman- 
ly round of commercial values as- 
sembled gives him a good initial 
credit. Even stronger overseeing 
could have cured some script 
flaws, and the sometimes slack 
pacing could have been helped by 
eliminating several unnecessary 
sequences. Overall, though, it’s the 
b.o. worth that carries the most 
weight, and the payoff for this one 
should be profitable. 

While Miss Russell is the main 
cast attraction as far as name value 
goes, the story is slanted towards 
Richard Egan, her husband, and 
Gilbert Roland, adventurer, who 
are diving for the treasure aboard 
a sunken galleon. Miss Russell is 
a fetching sight, whether plumbing 
the depths or lounging comfortably 
aboard ship. On her, skin-diving 
equipment seems almost superflu- 
ous, but good taste in the produc- 
tion doesn't make an overly obvi- 
ous point of her natural attrac- 
tions. 

Egan and Roland handle the 
masculine spots easily, both having 
the kind of muscles that look good 
when hared, as well as enough 
acting skill to take ample care of 
the story heroics. Robert Keith, 
good as a priest with a knowledge 
of sunken treasure who is along 
on the cruise, and Lori Nelson, 
scantlv used but good, to look at. 
are the other principals in the 
treasure-questing group. 

Suspense is whipped up by John 
Sturges’ direction in detailing the 
threats to the little group, both 
above and below the waters of the I 
Caribbean. Underneath lurk sharks 
and the danger the galleon will 
slip from its precarious perch on 
a submerged ledge and sink beyond 
reach, taking some or all of the 
diving trio with it. On the surface 
the treasure-hunters are threaten- 
ed by Joseph Calleia, Cuban shark 
fisherman and his crew, who sec 
the possibility of hijacking easy • 
riches. Calleia and his crew are j 
effective. 

Sturges’ direction is hampered i 
for the first half of the footage by 
more dialog than the picture’s pace 
can comfortably assimilate, but 
once the unnecessary talk and ex- 
traneous sequences are out of the 
way. the pace tightens and thrills : 
are consistent. Work of the divers 
around and in the old wreck while 
blasting out treasure is often 
hackle-raising in its thrills and the 
Technicolor photography shows it 
all up in sharp, detailed beauty. 

The good basis for high adven- 
ture was scripted by Walter New- 
man from a story by Hugh King nature of 
and Robert B. Bailey. Rov Webb’s being the 
score, directed by C. Bakaleinikoff 
is excellent, as are the Latune 
numbers injected here and there 
by Perez Prado and a small crew. 
Underwater sound effects add to 
the entertainment. Brog. 


This is a heavy, sombre and 
dated melodrama, based on George 
du Maurier's well-known novel- in 
which Hildegarde Neff makes a 
highly attractive British film debut 
in the role of Trilby while Donald 
Wolfit is a very sinister Svengali. 
Its boxoffice prospects are ques- 
tionable but this British-made pic 
should get by if carefully sold. It 
may be a difficult proposition in 
America where its main appeal 
will be in arty houses. 

Wolfit took over the title role 
after Robert Newton walked out in 
the early stages of production. This 
is a shrewd replaeeent because his 
rich interpretation of the dominat- 
ing Svengali proves a solid basis 
lor the* production. At all times he 
suggests the dirty, swarthy and un- 
wholesome character whose grip on 
the girl remains until his last gasp. 

Miss Neff, in her first British 
film, gives a warm and sympa- 
thetic performance as Trilby, the 
girl who's taken out of a saloon to 
become an. artist’s model. She falls 
in love with a young Eng'ish artist, 
the plans of marriage being ruined 
by an interfering parent. There is 
some vagueness as to the way in 
which she falls under Svengali's 
power and how he makes her an 
internationally famous singer. But 
even so there is dramatic force in 
these sequences, particularly in 
the climax when the grip is relaxed 
and she is unable to utter a note 
at a Covent Garden concert. 


a Lovenx uaraen concert. 

Terence Morgan seems a little 
out of character as the British 
artist with whom she falls in love 
but Derek Bond and Paul Rogers 
are entirely believable as his two 
British friends. David Kosvoff gives 
a solid and reliable performance 
as Svengali's friend and violin-ac- 
companist. with Hubert Gregg. 
Noel Purcell. Alfie Bass and Harry 
Secombe heading a safe support- 
ing east. 

Noel Langley has vigorously di- 
rected the piece from his own 
script while Wilkie Cooper has 
done an excellent job of color lens- 
ing. William Alwyn’s music is 
first rate and Elisabeth Schwarz- 
kopf's singing for Miss Neff's solo 
recitals is one of the artistic high- 
spots. M\ /ro. 


London, Jan. 4. 

General Film Distributors release of 
Two Cities (Maurice Cowan) production. 
Stars Norman Wisdom. Joan Rice. Shirley 
Abicair, Thora Hird. Directed by John 
Paddy Carstairs. Screenplay, Maurice 
Cowan. John Paddy Carstairs. Ted Willis; 
camera. Jack Cox: editor. Geoffrey Foot; 
music, John Addison, with music and 
lyrics by Norman Newell and Norman 
Wisdom. At Dominion, London. Running 
time. 90 MINS. 

Norman Norman Wisdom 

Iris Joan Rice 

Mary Shirley Abicair 

Cook Thora Hird 

Alec William Russell 

Biglev Richard Caldicot 

Tuppmy Marjorie Fender 

Jimmy Keith Gilman 

Matron Joan Ingram 

Igor Petrovltch Harold Kasket 

Cinema Manager Fred Kitchen Jr. 

Prof. Dofee . .. David Hurst 

Hypnotist’s Stooge Michael Balfour 

Gunner Mac Ricky McCuUough 

Norman Wisdom’s first entry into 
the British film scene a year back, 
in Maurice Cowan's production of 
“Trouble in Store’’ was one of the 
top grossers in the domestic mar- 
ket. The b.o. formula has been 
repeated in “One Good Turn” and 
the results locally probably will 
assume the same proportions. Not- 
withstanding its great hopes in the 
home market, the film is a dim 
prospect for the U.S. 

Once again Wisdom is cast as 
the “little man" but the script 
gives him none of the opportunities 
to develop his potentialities as a 
British Chaplin and he has to rely 
on one slapstick incident alter 
another for the laughs. In the 
main, these are frequently un- 
related although there is a thin 
sort of story thread of how the 
star, as a sort of general factotum, 
saves the orphanage. 

There is good measure of comic 
incident but little invention. The 
direction allows the star to run 
riot through a sequence of events 
starting with the losing of his 
pants and unconsciously becoming 
the hero of the London to Brighton 
walk, to a forced climax. There is 
plenty of pathos from Wisdom but 
only a small measure of artistic 
talent from the remainder of the 
cast. Joan Rice, Shirley Abicair 
and Thora Hird in the principal 
roles are bogged down by the 
script. 

A couple of numbers, one by 
Norman Newell and the other by 
the star, provide a pleasing diver- 
sion. Myro. 


outstanding are the dramatic close, 
ups of the moment when Auclair, 
in search of the “wife” he believes 
is somewhere in Germany, realizes 
he is truly a man without identity, 
and the moving scene in which he 
and Simone Simon first encounter 
after the war. Vicas, whose direc- 
torial talents will shortly be on 
view In the U.S. with the opening 
of “No Way Back,” has already 
been signed by 20th-Fox for his 
unusual work. 

There are two standard perform- 
ances. Miss Rutting, winner of the 
German Oscar for her acting, plays 
the "other woman” with such sen- 
sitivity that the audience almost 
yearns for Auclair to remain with 
her. Bernard Wicki. as her brother, 
the teacher who returns from cap- 
tivity in Russia, is exceptionally 
fine. Miss Simon, proves a looker 
capable of'a warm performance. 

The film is a pioneer in French- 
German co-production which nicely 
balances the delicacies of national 
tastes. Musical and technical 
credits are apt supports. Haze. 


Votre Dev«ie Blake 

(Tours Truly Blake) 
(FRENCH) 

_ . , Paris, Jan. 4. 

~,. Coc i5.°^ rel#M# ol Cocinor Chaillot 
Film Production. Stan Eddie Constantine 
features DanlaUa Codet, Colette Doreal! 
Simone Paris. Jacques Dynam, Robert 
Dal ban. Directed by Jean Laviron: lethni- 
cal advisor. Jerry Epstein. Screenulav, 
Epstein, Jacques Vilfrid; camera, Jacques 
Lemare; editor, Andree Feix: music, Jef| 
Davis. At Balzac, Paris. Running time. 
100 MINS. 

. Blake Eddie Constantine 

i Michele Danielle Godet 

i Stella Colette Doreal 

Gaxton Jacques Djnatn 

| Inspector Robert Dalban 

i Eliane Simone Paris 


Emperor and Ihe (iuIpiii 

(CZECHOSLOVAKIAN-COLOR) 


Overlong fantasy-comedy with 
slim b.o. chances in the U.S. 


Artkino release of Czechoslovak Stale 
Film Studio production. Features Jan 
Werich, Marie Yasova, Natasa Gollova, 
Jiri Plashy. Directed "My Martin Fric. 
Screenplay. Jiri Brdecka and Werich: 
camera. Jan StaltTch: music. Julius Kalas. 
At Stanley. N.Y., Jan. 8. '55. Running 
time 110 Mins. 

The Emperor. 

The Baker Ian Werich 

Countess Strada Marie Vasova 

Kathy Natasa Gollova 

Kelley Jiri Plashy 


Haillp Ta.\l 


Commonplace. Script 
duction makes this a 
ond half. 


and 

dull 


pro- 

sec- 


L'nited Artists release of Ivan Tors-Art 
Arthur production. Stars Sterling Hay- 
den: features Arthur Franz and Marshall 
Thompson. Directed by Herbert L. Strock. 
Screenplay. Malvin Wald: camera. Lo- 
throp B. Worth: editor, Jodie Copelan: 
music, Herman Sukman. Previewed Jan. 
3. '55. Running time. 13 MINS. 

Capt. Russ Edwards Sterling Hayden 

Lieut. Pete Stacy Arthur Franz 

2nd Lieut. Titn Vernon 

Marshall Thompson 

S Sgt. Slate Klein Leo Needham 

I.t. Col. Stoneham Jay Barney- 

Wounded G! John Goddard 

Lieut. Joe Kirk. Robert Sherman 

Lieut. Marty Staple Joel Marston 

M Sgt. Joe Murdock. John Dennis 

Blue B-iy, Three-Gen*.. . .Dale Hutchinson 

Lazy Joker Two Andy Andrews 

Lieut. Smiley Jackson ... Vance Skarsted 
Medic Capt. Larsen ... . Michael Colgan 
Co-Pilot Harry. .Capt. Vincent McGovern 


Da» Zupiip Lolien 

(Double Destiny) 
(FRENCH-GERMAN) 

Frankfurt, Jan. 4. 

Columbia release of Stuart Schulberg 
and Gilbert de Goldschmidt production 
(for Trans-Rh«'in and Madeleine Film). 
Stars Simone Simon, Michel Auclair. Bar- 
bara Rutting. Directed by Victor Vicas. 
Screenplay, Frederick Grendel. Dieter 
Werner, based on Jean Giraudoux story; 
camera. Andre Bac; editors, Ira Over- 
berg, Georges Klotz; music, H. M. Majew- 
ski. At Universum Theatre, Stuttgart. 
Running time, 90 MINS. 

Siegfried Michel Auclair 

Francoise Simone Simon 

Sybil . Barbara Rutting 

Reinhard Bernard Wicki 

Professor Rolf Gonnauckhoff 

Mittelmeier Gert Froebe 

Garreaux Yves Brainville 


“Dou- 

likely 


Howard Dietz to the Coast to 
Join Metro homeoffice execs con- 
ierring with studio chief Dore 
Schary. 


Sights are on the Korean war 
but this time the requisite combat 
wallop is in short supply. “Battle 
Taxi” refers to the U. S. Air Res- 
cue Service in action. Undoubted- 
ly there was plenty of screenplay 
potential in the operations of this 
heretofore unspotlighted adjunct 
to the fighting forces but “Taxi” 
doesn't deliver. 

Ivan Tors-Art Arthur production 
lias some exploitation value in the 
the subject matter, this 
exploits of a helicopter 
element. Further, there's the line 
about the film having been made 
in cooperation with the Depart- 
ment of Defense. However, the 
finished product emerges as a 
lower-case programmer at most, 
with stock footage used liberally 
and in some instances not fitted in 
smoothly. Overall result is a pic 
of limited conviction, the story be- 
in? no help. 

Sterling Hayden has the lead as 


For patrons of arty films, 
ble Destiny” shapes as a 
contender for 1955. Based on a 
Jean Giraudoux story of the last 
World War, called “Siegfried,” it 
became a hit play in Paris back in 
the 1920’s. It is planned as a stage 
entry in its original version this 
winter on Broadway. With a some- 
what altered script, written by 
Frederick Grendel and Dieter Wer- 
ner, this was done in French and 
German. It appears to have a good 
chance for U.S. arty theatres. 

Plot concerns Michel Auclair, as 
Siegfried, a young French painter 
who is called into the army in the 
first World War. He's in love with 
Francoise. sweet-voiced Simone 
Simon. But before he can marry 
her, the wedding bureau closes 
and he plants a ring on her finger 
with promises of eternal love and 
rushes off to war. where he is 
shell-shocked and loses his mem- 
ory. 

Although the plot seems based 
on some unlikely coincidences 
'considerably lightened from the 
original drama which was a highly 
political! the excellent direction of 
Victor Vicas makes the story come 
across with feeling. Particularly 


As the first Czechoslovakian film 
to play the Stanley Theatre. N.Y.. 
in five years. "The Emperor and 
the Golem" is an^ interesting im- 
port. For the picture as such 
affords an insight on the Czech film 
industry. As entertainment it's 
another matter since this overlong 
fantasy-comedy is tedious fare 
despite a few humorous scenes. 

Writers Jiri Brdecka and Jan 
Werich drew upon Jewish legend 
to unfold a tale of a crazed Czech 
emperor enamoured of women, 
eternal youth, alchemy and the 
Golem. Latter is an artificial man. 
fashioned from clay, who was 
popularly believed around the 16th 
century to be a giant that would 
protect the Jews in times of ad- 
versity. 

But instead of developing the 
story purely around the emperor 
and the Golem as the French-made 
version did in 1937, the Brdecka- 
Werich screenplay creates a situa- 
tion in which a baker successfully 
poses as the real sovereign. 
Through this device the scriplers 
attempt to introduce a variety of 
levity, most of which falls in the 
slapstick category. 

Co-scripter Werich. who essays 
the dual role of the aging emperor 
and the lusty baker, provides some 
amusing moments and shows gen- 
uine thesping talent whether he’s 
quaffing the elixer of youth or 
training a lascivious eye on a bevy 
of cuties who frequent the royal 
menage. 

Marie Vesova, as the bona fide 
emperor’s vis-a-vis, is suitably 
shapely and Natasa Gollova has 
ample feminine charms as a magi- 
cian's aide who carries on a ro- 
mance with the baker. Jiri Plashy 
scores nicely as the magico. Com- 
petent support is provided bv a 
long cast. Direction of Martin 
Fric frequently wavers as though 
he’s undecided to stress the come- 
dy aspects or concentrate on the 
narrative. 

Curiously* this Czechoslovak 
State Film Studio production con- 
tains little propaganda in contrast 
with the unsubtle messages usually- 
found in Soviet-made films. How- 
ever. the “message” in the “Em- 
peror” if it can be called that tends 
to fit in with the present Kremlin 
regime’s theory of “co-existence.” 

For prestidigitator Plashy at one 
point sings a little jingle which 
goes something like this: “We’ll 
all live better when we share what 
we have . . . when we live in peace 
the world will be a better place for 
you and me.” Lines such as that, 
of course, can be found in most 
children’s story books. Those 
looking for social significance 
might be impressed with the final 
scene where- the baker harnesses 
the Golem to provide heat for the 
ovens in order that the poor might 
have bread. 

Insofar as the film's technical 
aspects are concerned the camera- 
work is of poor quality and the 
editing faulty. Lensed in color 
i 'presumably Sovcolor). the tints 
don’t measure up to Technicolor 
, or Eastman Color. Frequently the 
! hues on print screened at the 
! Stanley appeared washed out and 
ill defined. Moreover, the action 
and story could have been sped up 
considerably if 15 or 20 minutes 
j had been trimmed from the foot- 
age. Costumes of Jiri Trnka are 
1 eye-catching. Gilb. 


There is no doubt that Eddie 
Constantine, U. S. singer, has be- 
come a pic b.o. name to reckon 
with here. His series of pix. filled 

with mayhem and all the attributes 
of the U.S. gangster films, have 
caught on and these cheaply made 
films are reaping a b.o. harvest. 
However, the character and situa- 
tions are getting repititious and 
a change of pace is called for. 
Films have the production aspects 
of the U.S. “B” film, and, as such, 

, have little value for any possible 
| Stateside chances. U.S. original is 
1 still too superior to enable these 
j to make the necessary inroads, but 
: this looks to follow its predecessors 
1 in take here. 

1 In this one, Constantine is a pilot 
who gets mixed up in a murder 
case in Paris during a three-day 
vacation. He picks up a film star 
one. night and next day she is 
accused of murder. He goes after 
the killers and after a record num- 
ber of fights and chases proves her 
innocence and flies off into the 
blue. 


Story telling is simple, but bowls 
along merrily, which is what they 
want here. Director Jean Laviron 
has not been able to breathe 
the feel of suspense and character 
into this, and it remains a knock- 
about type of gangster pic. Con- 
stantine drinks less and has fewer 
women in this, but his phlegm and 
insouciance are still the same, and 
he grins and batters his way 
through this in acceptable fashion. 
Danielle Godet has a hard time 
convincing that she is a film star, 
and heavies and molls are accept- 
able. Lensing and editing are good, 
and peppering of script with many 
visual gags pay off in some spots 
but are too often cliche and gra- 
tuitous. Mosk. 


Aleko 

(RUSSIAN— COLOR) 

Aitkino release of LenLvn production. 
Stars A. Ognivisev, M. Reizen. I. Zubkov- 
ska ya. Directed by Sergei Sidelov. Screen- 
play, A. Abramov, G. Roshal, based on 
poem by A. S. Pushkin: camera. A. Naza- 
rov; music, Sergei Rachmaninoff. At Stan- 
ley, N.Y.. starting Dec. 23, ’54. Running 
time. «1 MINS. 

Alcko A. Ognivisev 

The Old Gypsy . M. Reizen 

Zemph.vra I. Zubkovskaya 

Young Gypsy S Kuznetsov 

Old Gypsy Woman B. Zlatogorova 

(In Russian; English Titles) 

“Aleko” is described as a color- 
film opera based on A. S. Push- 
kin’s poem, “Gypsies.” It boasts 
music by Sergei Rachmaninoff and 
Pushkin’s name, which has been 
associated with the better-known 
Russian pictures. The music often 
has tremendous sweep. But this 
picture is so badly directed and so 
statically produced, it’s appeal will 
be confined to the few Russian- 
language arty houses in the U.S. 

Basically, the yarn is this. A 
fresh gypsy youth loves girl. Girl 
is already married. But she doesn't 
let that deter her — so the husband 
kills them both, and the gypsy 
band moves on. The acting and 
lack of any action excepting the 
slaying scene does not in any way 
enhance this simple plot. 

The cast is dotted with Russo 
prize-winning actors, three of them 
having copped Stalin awards. May- 
be the director was jealous, for he 
seldom permits the thespian tal- 
ents to shine. The three Russian 
prize grabbers, A. Ognivisev, as 
Aleko; M. Reizen, cast as the 
girl’s father; and I. Zubkovskaya, 
the girl (wedded young woman), 
sing with charm, all three having 
excellent voices. 

Whole picture plays like a filmed 
opera, only with even less action. 
One of the redeeming factors is 
that the color (Sovcolor) looks like 
the best to date, with the director 
'Sergei Sidelov) and cameraman 
A. Nazarov apparently striving for 
pictures — que color portraits. But 
that’s all they are — inanimate 
tinted portraits. Wear. 


John Forsythe to Par 

John Forsythe, currently starred 
in “Teahouse of August Moon” on 
Broadway, has been signed by 
Paramount for one film a year for 
seven years. First is to be "The 
Maverick,” which Michael Curtiz 
will direct. 

Forsythe will leave the play Feb. 
12 and reDorts to Par March 7. 


January 12, 1955 


PICTURES 


FILMS FOR CHILDREN ONLY 




New York Sound Track H 




“ \nastasia” screen rights have not yet been purchased, despite re- 
ports naming Warners. Play based on original of Marcelle Maurette 
lias been anglicized by Guy Bolton and is handled in States by agent 
Miriam Howell . . . Woman living in Berlin who claims to be the true 
Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas II, has since given a quit-claim 
however the Maurette play will be produced in Britain, Germany, 
Sweden, Spain and Holland prior to America . . . Robert Ruark’s 
safari to Africa is paying off handsomely via his new Mau Mau novel, 

• Something of Value,” which goes to Metro for around $300,000, well 
above price 20th-Fox bid . . . there s considerable speculation in 
Manhattan as to how Metro .can handle the subject-matter, a plenty 
bloody and brutal war between the black and white races. 

Jack Palance is in N.Y. negotiating for rights to the life story of 
Jack Dempsey, actor seeking to produce and star in a biopic on the 
ex-heavy weight champion, Understood ‘‘amicable understanding” has 
been reached between Dempsey and his former manager. Jack Kearns, 
on project and deal looks good at this stage. Palance would seek a 
major release. He's due back in Hollywood Jan. 15 . . . Jean Simmons 
in from film work in England Sunday (9) and off to Hollywood the 
same day . . . Harriet Parsons, producer on the RKO lot, returned 
to the Coast over the past weekend after a week of play-going . . . 
John Halas and Joy Batchelor, chief animators of “Animal Farm," 
cartoon feature, left N.Y. over the past weekend to attend the film's 
premiere in London. 

While they may resent the “antique” connection, ten early film 
queens have been invited to the 11th Annual National Antiques Show 
at Madison Square Garden in March. The ten include Pola Negri, 
Theda Bara, Lois Wilson, Nita Naldi, Aileen Pringle, Clara Bow, 
Blanche Sweet, Dorothy Gish, Carmel Myers, and Mae Busch . . . this has 
bought the Harper prize novel, "Trial” by Don M. Mankiewicz. 

“This Is Cinerama” bowed in Tokyo Wednesday <5*. Japan is the 
fourth overseas country to show the new film medium . . . Cinema 16 
showing "Colette,” Edinburgh Film festival winner and the last camera 
portrait of the noted French novelist, on its latest program at the 
Central Needle Trades Auditorium and at the Beckman Theatre. Also 
on the program is a survey of Charles Chaplin's Keystone comedies 
featuring Chester Conklin, Charley Chase, and Fatty Arbuckle . . . 
Metro, in connection with its "1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebra- 
tion." has succeeded in getting the governors of Wisconsin and Illinois 
to issue proclamations designating Jarfiary as “Go to the Movies 
Month.” 

Comings and Goings: Loew’s prexy Nicholas M. Schenck and v.p. 
and treasurer* Charles C. Moskowilz on the Coast for product huddles 
. . . Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding in from England . . . Director 
George Sidney arriving from Hollywood over the \4eekend for a month’s 
stay . . . Metro designer Jlelen Rose in town for a week for a gander at 
the new fashions . . . Warner Bros, pub-ad chief Mort Blumenstock here 
for homeoffice talks. 

Metro's "Jupiter’s Darling.” starring Esther Williams, booked into 
the Radio City Music Hall. She's due in Gotham next week to appear 
on the Ed Sullivan tv show and to publicize “Darling” . . . Van Wolf 
of Paramount’s homeoffice publicity department exited the company 
to form his own commercial film and tv packaging outfit . . . N. V. 
Philips Radio of Holland has received a licensing agreement for the 
manufacture of Perspecta stereophonic sound integrator units, bring- 
ing the number of manufacturers of the units throughout the world 
to 16 . . . Winner of the sixth annual competition for the City College 
Robert J. Flaherty award for “outstanding creative achievement” in 
the production of documentary films due this Friday (14). More than 
150 entries have been received by Prof. Hans Richter, director of the 
college's film institute. 

William G. Shelton, sales v.p. of Times Film Corp., had his contract 
renewed through March, 1956. Got a six-month bonus, too . . . Vilko 
Vinterhalter, new director of the Yugoslav Information Center, introed 
to the press last week. The Yugoslavs are studying the possibilities 
of placing some of their documentaries in U.S. theatres . . . Figures 
showing the large percentage of foreign imports without Production 
Code approval going through the N.Y. censor's office are minimized 
by some company execs. They point out that the number of persons 
actually seeing these foreign films is quite small and. of equal import, 
it includes very few juves . . . Story departments at several of the 
distribs are unhappy with the ad campaigns of publishers whose novels 
they’ve acquired for screen treatment. Pitch is that they aren’t stress- 
ing what the filmeries consider the best angles for both book and film 
. . . Spearheading an effort to aid exhibitors in launching local "movie 
salutes." Metro is making a pitch to the nation’s newspapers via a 
full-page ad in the Jan. 15 Editor 8c Publisher. Headed "There’s News 
l n Them Thar Thrills!’’, the copy calls to the attention of editors that 
“there is a good story for possibly an editorial) in the local history 
ot the movie theatre in your town.” 


BUT KID ACTORS 
CROW TOO FAST 

By SIR HENRY L. FRENCH 

Director General 

British Film Producers Assn. 

London. Jan. 3. 

There are many differences be- 
tween the practices of the Ameri- 
can motion picture industry and 
the British. Some are only a ques- 
tion of degree. Others are more 
fundamental. One is complete. 
The American Industry does not 
make special entertainment films 
for children. The British industry 
does. I am not going to argue that 
one is right and the other wrong. 
But I am going to try and set down 
in this article, for the information 
of any American readers who may 
be interested, what the British in- 
dustry is aiming at in this par- 
ticular matter, and how it has set 
about its self-imposed task. 

The story begins with J. Wrthur 
Rank. In 1943-44 he added to his 
Organization a new department 
called Children’s Entertainment 
Films. It was realized from the first 
that this enterprise could not be 
self-supporting. Nevertheless, it 
did good work until Rank ran into 
a financial crisis largely due to the 
then Labour Government’s deci- 
sion ( taken without any consulta- 
tion with the film industry) to im- 
pose an ad valorem duty of 75 r e 
of the value of all imported films, 
followed a few months later by an- 
other decision (also taken without 
I consulting the industry, to repeal 
the duty. Rank suffered heavy 
losses as a result of both the Gov- 
ernment’s original policy and its 
I sudden reversal. It was obliged to 
1 make economies wherever it could 
and as all the world knows it has 
since made a wonderful recovery. 
But the children’s unit was 
brought to an end. 

The next stage was the establish- 
ment of the Production Levy 
j (“Eady” Fund) in 1950. Scarcely 
had this novel plan for supple- 
menting the revenue obtained by 
British films (including American 
films made in England) been put 
1 into operation than a widespread 
demand arose for the revival of 
Children’s Entertainment Films 
under , another name and not at 
the expense of Rank but of the in- 
dustry generally. All four trade 
associations concerned (exhibitors, 
distributors, feature producers and 
short producers! were united in 
their determination to set going 
again the production of special en- 
( Continued on page 24* 


Break That Stereotyped Thinking! 

Hecht Points to Offbeat Characterizations and 
Treatments That Paid Off at Boxoffice 


They Feel Good 

"White Christmas” (like 
many a big moneymaker in the 
past* drew its share of unkind 
criticism at the start. The 
press notices were short of 
unanimous raves and some 
“piofessionals," i.e., those in- 
siders who see private screen- 
ings in advance, mainly in 
L. A. and N. Y., had reserva- 
tions about the film's values. 

Paul Raibourn, Paramount 
v.p., was asked how' come this 
musical became such a huge 
success. "Because it makes 
people coming out of the the- 
atres feel good." he replied. 


Delay Vanoni Tax, 
Odious to Yanks 


Motion Picture Export Assn, 
committee has obtained from the 
Italian government an agreement 
to hold off any assessments under 
the revived Vanoni law until mid- 
March. By that time, the American 
companies will have submittted to 
the Italo authorities a detailed pic- 
ture-per-picture breakdown on 

negative costs and the cost of dis- 
tribution in Italy for the period 
of 1951 through 1953. 

The law was passed in 1951 but 
had not been enforced. It would 
radically change the basis on which 
the Italians determine the taxable 
income of American pix released 
in Italy. Late in 1954. MPEA 
was informed that, under the 
Vanoni law. the Italians intended 
to allow a flat deduction of only 
8,000.000 lira ($12,000! as the non- 
taxable income of any Hollywood 
pic in Italy. Provision was made 
retroactive to 1951. 

The two-man MPEA team which 
went to Rome to palaver with the 
Italians on the tax matter agreed 
to make available the individual 
figures as a basis on which the 
Italians could then make their own 
analysis Of what constitute a proper 
tax base. The statistics to be pro- 
vided by the U. S. companies also 
will establish the percentage earn- 
ings of their pix in Italy in relation 
to the world market. 


By WHITNEY WILLIAMS 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

From all indications 1954 should, 
be remembered as the year which 
saw the most daring gambles pay 
off, Harold Hecht. who heads 
Hecht-Lancaster Productions, re- 
ported prior to taking off for Eu- 
rope on a location-scouting trek for 
“Trapeze.” to star Burt Lancaster. 

“Hollywood has discovered,” he 
opined, "that it's guts plus glamour 
that represents an almost unbeat- 
able combination. And the discov- 
ery is paying off at the boxoffice.” 

Producers and stars alike have 
departed to a great extent from 
the pattern of “playing it safe" in 
order to . use unconventional ap- 
proaches both in selection of sto- 
ries and in casting. w'ith notable 
results, according to Hecht. This 
trend was indicated to a certain ex- 
tent, he said, when Lancaster de- 
parted from his customary two- 
fisted. virile romantic leads to play 
the middle-aged, ineffectual dipso- 
maniac in Hal Wallis’ "Come BatV 
Little Sheba.” 

“But this year,” he added, “the 
so-called offbeat casting trend has 
practically become more of a stand- 
ard practice.” 

Hecht pointed to Bing Crosby’s 
tour-de-force as the broken-down, 
has-been actor in “The Country 
Girl" and Jan Sterling’s deglamor- 
ized performance of the tramp in 
"The High and the Mighty.” as 
samples of gambles paying off. 
Both probably will be in the run- 
ning for an Oscar nomination. 

(Continued on page 22! 


Rubin Settles 
For $1,200, 



How To Handle Cary Cooper 


By JIAROLD HECHT 


In a settlement of his contract 
as v.p, and general counsel. Loew s, 
Inc., paid J. Robert Rubin $1,200,- 
000 for the residual rights per- 
centage he held in all Metro films. 
Rubin, former production chief of 
Louis B. Mayer, and the estate 
of the late Irving Thalberg were 
also entitled to residual rights un- 
der a longterm arrangement. 

For the fiscal year of 1954, 
Loew’s paid the following salaries 
to its top executives: prexy Nicho- 
las M. Schenck. $224,750; v.p. 
Joseph Vogel. $156,429; production 
chief Dore Schary. $200,000; v.p. 
Howard Dietz. $104,286; v.p. and 
treasurer Charles C. Moskowitz, 
$156,429; v.p. Leopold Friedman, 
$130,357; v.p. Ben Thau. $189,383, 
and v.p. J. Robert Rubin. $176,816. 


Ike Asks More $ 

For D.S. ‘Publicity’ 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

A halt to further tax reductions 
this year, creation of a Federal 
Arts Commission to promote cul- 
tural activities, and more funds for 
the U. S. Information Agency 
were urged by President Eisen- 
hower last Thursday < 6 1 in his 
^tate of the Union Message. Show 
biz has a direct interest in all of 
these. 

Eisenhower suggested that furth- 
t' n .i ax cu * s riiight take place in 
1955, but set his face firmly against 
am reductions this year, including 
the tax on corporate incomes. This 
means also that the President 
would doubtless veto any legisla- 
•»n to give further admissions tax 
1 eductions, or to make any cut in 
. 20' ' bite on night club checks. 

<>en Congress cut the admissions 
, x *f st year, it refused any help 
*or the niteries. 

^oice of America, with its Voice 
0 America and motion picture 
programs, needs more money to 
•Continued on page 65! 


EMPLOY AMOS HIATT 
! FOR FOREIGN DEALS 

Amos Hiatt, a specialist in for- 
eign investment and exchange 
problems, has joined the Motion 
Picture Export Assn, as special 
assistant to the treasurer. His 
specific assignment will be to 
handle the growing number of com- 
pensation deals which aid the film 
industry in unthawing blocked 
funds abroad. 

It’s figured that, at the moment, 
between 15 r r and 20' "r of the in- 
dustry’s revenue ft'om abroad 
j comes into N. Y. via compensation 
deals. Most important areas w here 
such deals are currently pending 
are France and Japan. 

Hiatt recently served as chair- 
man of the financial committee of 
the International Air Transport 
Assn., specializing on investment 
and exchange problems. He had 
also been assistant comptroller of 
Pan American World Airways and 
regional director for the Middle 
and Far East of Intercontinental 
Hotels Corp. Among his film biz 
positions has been that of treasurer 
of RKO-Pathe companies and v.p. 
and director of First Division 
Prods. 


When the Hecht-Lancaster Or- 
ganization first set its cap for Gary 
Cooper to co-star with Burt Lan- 
caster in "Vera Cruz,” we felt much 
as a freshman co-ed must feel 
trying to date the senior football 
hero on her first day of school. 

We were a new. independent or- 


prize for which Lancaster was then 
a strong contender because of his 
contribution to "From Here to 
Eternity?" Neither would want to 
play second fiddle to the other. The 
situation seined to ache for Disraeli 
shrewdness. 


t 


Syllabatcd Dialog 


ganization preparing our first pro- 
duction under a seven-picture re- ! We practically wrote the script 
: leasing deal with United Artists, of "Vera Cruz” with a tape meas- 
Cooper. perennial boxoffice chain- me — an inch of dialog for 
pion and Academy Award winner, C’ooper. an inch for Lancaster. We 
was being courted by half a maintained, meanwhile, constant 
dozen major studios. Y\e as- t 0UC h with Cooper. By "in touch.” 


NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL 
FOR SAM SCHNEIDER 

Warner Bros, veepee and top 
homeoffice executive Sam Schnei- 
der received a new five-year con- 
tract from the company. 

New pact calls for $1,750 per 
week plus $250 in weekly expenses. 
For the fiscal year ending Aug., 
1954. Schneider received a total of 
$104,000, including expenses. 


as- 
sumed landing him would call 
for considerable skill and cunning, 
so we mapped a campaign for 
courting, catching and coddling 
him accordingly. 

The fact that our blandishments 
failed at every turn while Cooper 
went about quietly — disquietingly 
quitely — making the movie for us 
might comprise a comic commen- 
tary on the process of star-nursing. 
The jdke, in other words, was on 
us. 

We imagined more perils than a 
pickpocket at a policeman’s ball. 
Because Lancaster was also a co- 
owner of the film, it was" natural 
for us to assume that Cooper would j 
be concerned with the size and 
quality of his part, especially in 
its relation to his co-star. After 
all. hadn’t he won an Oscar for 
j “High Noon,” the very same grand j 


I mean we told him from time to 
time via cables to Paris. London. 
Sun Valley and Long Island that 
the picture was being prepared 
with him in mind and that we 
would very much like to sign him. 
On each occasion, he'd send back 
such heady, decisive messages as 
“that’s nice.” or "thanks a lot.” 

At long last, he conceded he 
might give us a definite answer 
after he had read the completed 
script. As soon as the writers had 
put their last word to it, we sent 
it off. Cooper, long noted for his 
periods of quiet, now said nothing 
at all. We concluded he did not 
like the screenplay. Therefore, we 
ordered a complete rewrite, post- 
poned “Vera Cruz,” and 
ahead on “Apache.” 


Hecht-Lancaster Opening 
Office in Manhattan 

Hecht - Lancaster Productions 
will establish a N. Y. office within 
the next month with a staff headed 
by Shirlee Weingarten. formerly 
Theatre Guild casting director. 
She’ll serve as liaison with the 
legit theatre and other story 
sources. 

II-L, incidentally, has stage pro- 
duction in its future. The indie 
film producting company plans 
presentation of a play in 1956. 


Meantime, Cooper became 
(Continued on page 23) 


Broidy Meets Huston 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 
Steve Broidy. Allied Artists 
prexy, and veepees G. Ralph Bran- 
vent [ ton and Harold Mirisch fly to N. Y. 

j Friday to meet John Huston, 
busy ; Huddle is on his first for com- 
pany, “Man Who Would Be King.” 


8 


PICTURE GROSSES 


We<lne*<Uy, January 12, 1955 


LA Holds Steady; ‘Men Hearty 33G; 
Sea Smart 24G, ‘Show Biz’ $21,000, 
‘Pagan’ Proud 11G, ‘Girl’ Big 19G, 3d 


Los Angeles, J;in. 11. ♦ 

Going into second week of year, 
local tirstruns are holding about 
even with same session of a year 
ago. Only two new bills currently, 
with “Violent Men” heading for 
hearty $33,000 or near in three 
theatres plus added coin in seven 
ozoners. “Black Tuesday” shapes 
mild $16 000 in four houses. 

Rome holdovers still are main- 
taining a staunch pace despite 
post-holiday slowness. Smart $24.- 
000 is seen in third round for 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea.” In 
same session, "Show Business" 
looks to get good $21,000 at Chi- 
nese in third week. 

“Sign of Pagan” is rated fancy ! 
$11,000, also in third, at Holly-! 
wood Paramount. "Country Girl” 1 
looms nifty $19,000. also third, at 
Warner Bev. Arty house circles still 
are talking about terrific biz being 
garnered by "Gate of Hell” at the 
bandbox Vagabond, with near 
$7,000 in sight for third round. 

Estimates for This Week 

Los Angeles, Iris, Loyola, Up- 
town <FWC» <2.097; 814; 1.248; 1.715; 
70-$1.10) — "Black Tuesday” (UA) 
and "Flight of White Heron” (20th). 
Mild $16,000. Last week, in dif- 
ferent units. 

Orpheum, Hollywood, Wiltern 

(Metropolitan -FWC-SW) <2.213; 
756; 2,344; 85-$1.25) — “Violent 

Men” (Col) and “Bamboo Prison” 
(Col). Hearty $33,000. Last week, 
in different units. 

Chinese (FWC) <1,905; $1-$1.75) 
— "Show Business” (20th) <3d wk). 
Good $21,000. Last week. $30,400. 

Fox WUshire (FWC) <2,296; $1- 
$1.50)— "20.000 leagues” <BV) <3d 
wk). Smart $24,000. Last week, 
$29,200. 

Warner Beverly <SW> (1,612; 90- 
$1.50) — “Country Girl” <Par) '3d 
wk). Nifty $19,000. Last week, $24,- 
500. 

Hollywood Paramount (F&M) 
(1.430; $1-$1.50)— “Sign of Pagan” 
(U) (3d wk). Good $11,000. Last 
week, $15,000. 

Four Star (UATC) <900; 90-$ 1.50) 
— "Detective” (Col) (3d wk). Snappy 
$6,500. Last week. $8,700. 

Los Angeles Paramount (ABPT) ; 
(3.200; 90-$1.50)— "Star Is Born”! 
<WB) <3d wk). Okay $9,000. Last 1 
week. $11,000. 

El Rry (FWC) <861; $1-$1.50)— 
“Romeo and Juliet” <UA) <3d wk). I 
Steady $2,700. Last week. $2,800. 

Hilistreet, Pantages <RKO) (2,- 
752; 2.812; $1-$1.80) — "Silver 

Chalice” (WB) (3d wk), Medium 
$18,000. Last week. $26,000. 

State, Egyptian (UATC) (2.404: 
1.536; 90-$ 1.50 (—"Deep In Heart” 
<M-G) (3d wk). Mild $17,000. Last 
week. $23,300. 

Warner Downtown, Vogue <SW- 
FWC) (1.757; 885; 70-51.10)— 

“Young At Heart” (WB) and "Mas- 
terson of Kansas” (Col) « 3d wk). 
Modest $9,500. Last week, with 
Wiltern, $20,900. 

New Fox (FWC) (965; 70-$1.10) 
— "White Christmas” (Par) (3d wk). 
Okay $4,000. Last week. $7,600. 

Hawaii (G&S) (1.106; 70-$1.10)— 
“3-Ring Circus” (Par) (3d wk). 
Pair $4,300. Last week, with Or- 
pheum, $16,800. 

Ritz (FWC) <1.363; $1-$1 .50) — 
“Desiree” (20th) and "Steel Cage" 
<UA) <3d wk). Modest $4,000. Last 
week, with Los Angeles, Loyola. 
Hollywood, $23,000. 

Fine Arts (FWC) (631; $1-$1.75) 
— "Barefoot Contessa” <UA) (10th 
wk). Good $5,000. Last week. 
$5,300. 

Warner Hollywood (SW) <1.364; 
$1.20-$2.65> — "Cinerama” <lndie) 
(89th wk). Into current week Sun- 
day (9) after sturdy $27,300 in 
88th week. 

Vagabond (Rosener) (390; $1.50) 
— "Gate of Hell” (Indie) <3d wk). 
Fast $7,000 after record $7,200 in 
second round. 


Broadway Grosses 

Estimated Total Gross 

This Week $584. *66 

< Based on 22 theatres . ) 

Last Year $501,600 

( Based on 25 theatres. ) 

‘Cruz’ Terrif 17G, 
Frisco, ‘Sea’ 24G 

San Francisco. Jan. 11. 

Rain Sunday does not appear to 
be hurting biz at first-runs here 
currently as the usual after holi- 
day lull. City is jammed with hold- 
overs and extended-run bills but 
many still are in the chips. Best 
showings in present session are 
being made by "20,000 Leagues 
Under Sea” at Golden Gate. "Deep 
in My Heart” at Warfield and 
"Vera Cruz” at United Artists. 
Last-named is getting really ter- 
rific money for size of house. 

Estimates for This Week 

Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 90- 
$1.25) — “Leagues Under Sea” <BV) 
<3d wk). Great $24,000 or near 
after $27,500 last week. 

Fox (FWC) (4.651; $1.25-$1.50>— 
“Show Business” (20th) (3d wk). 
Okay $15,000 after $21,500 for 
second week. 

Warfield <Loew*s) <2.656; 65-90) 
—"Deep In My Heart” <M-G) (2d 
wk). Nice $14,000. First week, 
$18,000. 

Paramount (Par) <2,646; 90-$l) — 
"Young At Heart” <WB) and “The 
Cowboy” (Indie). Nice $18,000 or 
less. Last week. “3-Ring Circus” 
(Par) and "Roogie’s Bump” (’Rep) 
<2d wk), $13,000. 

St. Francis (Par) <1,400; $1-$1.25) 
— “Silver Chalice” <WB) Od wk). 
Fancy $9,000 or close. Last week, 
$ 11 , 000 . 

Orpheum (Cinerama Theatre, 
Calif.) (1,458; $1.75-$2. 65)— “Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (54th wk). Good 
$16,500. Last week, $31,000. 

United Artists (No. Coast) (1,207; 
70-$l)— "Vera Cruz" (UA) <3d wk). 
Terrific $17,000. Last week. $21,000. 

Stagedoor (A-R) <400; $1-$1.25> 
— "Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (3d 
wk). Big $4,300. Last week. $4,500. 

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1) — "Mr. 
Hulot’s Holiday” <GBD) (3d wk). 
Fine $2,900. Last week. $3,200. 

Clay (Rosener) (400-$l) — "Little 
Kidnappers” < Indie) (3d wk). Fast 
$3,300. Last week, $3,500. 

Vogue (S. F. Theatres) <377-$l) — 
"Ugetsu” (Indie) '8th wk). Big 
$3,000 after $3,500 for seventh 
week. 

Bridge (Schwartz-Reade) <399; 
$1-$1.20) — "Detective” (Col) »4th 
wk). Still big at $4,500 after 
$5,500 for third. "Trouble in Glen” 
(Rep) due in next. 


Sea’ Smooth $13,000 
In Seattle; ‘Pagan’ 16G 

Seattle, 'Jan. 11. 

Many of strong holdovers are 
forming the basis of the first-run 
strong showing in current stanza. 
"Show Business" shapes smooth in 
third session at Fifth Avenue while 
"Deep in My Heart” also is good 
for second Music Hall stanza. 
"Sign of Pagan” continued big in 
abbreviated third canto after 
smash second round at Orpheum. 
Pic goes out because house al- 
ready was rented to outside attrac- 
tion. “Leagues Under Sea” is rated 
fine for third Paramount round 
as is "3-Ring Circus,” also third, 
at Coliseum. Ne\V Year’s biz was 
ahead of last year at most houses. 

Estimates for This Week 

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800; 75- 
$1) — "Young At Heart” (WB) and 
"The Fast and Furious” (Indie) 
(3d wk). Nice $2,700 for three days 
after $4,700 in second. 

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1.829; 75- 
$1)— "3-Ring Circus” (Par) "Black 
Dakotas” (Col) <3d wk). Still swell 
with $8,000 or near after $13,000 
last week. 

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,500; 
90-$ 1.25) — "Show' Business” (20th) 
(3d wk). Smooth $9,000. Last 
week, $11,000. 

Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 90- 
$1.25) — “Detective” <Col). "Good 
$5,000. Last week, "Sabrina” (Par) 
(9th wk), $4,000. 

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,300; 90- 
$1.255— “Deep In Heart” (M-G) 
(2d wk). Good $7,000. Last week, 
$11,500. 

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 75- 
$1)— "Sign of Pagan” <U) and “4 
Guns To Border” (U) (3d wk). 
Stays only two days, since house 
rented for outside attraction. Big 
$4,000 for the two days after great 
$12,000 in second full week. 

Paramount (Evergreen) (3,039; 
$1-$1.25) — "Leagues Under Sea” 
(BV) (3d wk). Fine $13,000. Last 
week, $17,500. 


Show Biz’ Great 17G, 2d Cincy; 

Vera Cruz’ Huge 11G, 3d, ‘Sea’ 16G 


Key City Grosses 



Heart’ Stout 13G, 
Prov.; Biz’ $9j 

Providence. Jan. 11. 

State’s holdover of "Deep in My 
Heart” is leading the first-runs 
here currently. Majestic’s “Show 
Bu^ness” in its third session cut 
to five days, is also hot. Strand’s 
“The Violent Men” looks snappy. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 50-75)— 

"Cattle Queen Montana” (RKO) 
and "Atomic Kid” <Rep). Good 
$7,000. Last week, “So This Is 
Paris” ( U ) and “Jungle* Gents” 
(AA), $9,000. 

Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 70-$D— 
"Show Business” (20th) <3d wk). 
Big $9,000 for 5 days after $13,000 
in second. 

State (Loew’s) (3,200; 70-90— 
“Deep in Heart” (M-G) (2d wk). 
Fine $18,000. First stanza was 
$19,000. 

Strand (Silverman) <2,200; 50-70 » 
— "Violent Men” (Col). Snappy 
$9,000. Last week, "3 Ring Cir- 
cus” (Par) (2d wk), $8,000, 


Estimated Total Gross 
This Week $2,519, 

( Based on 21 cities and 
theatres, chiefly first runs, 
eluding N. Y.) 

Total Gross Same Week 

Last Year ' $2,712, 

( Based on 24 cities and 
theatres.) 


700 

207 

iu- 


000 

229 


Cruz’ Huge 20G, 
Cleve.; ‘Sea’ 13G 

• Cleveland, Jan. 11. 

Downtown boxoffices are grad- 
ually recovering from a terrific 
letdow'n after New Year’s Eve, be- 
ing aided by clear and warming 
temperatures. Only newcomer in 
a mass of holdover product is 
“Young at Heart,” drawing fine biz 
for Allen. "Vera Cruz” at State on 
second folio ranks as one of great- 
est stayovers there in weeks. “20,- 
000 Leagues Undrt* Sea” continues 
excellent on Palace’s third lap. 
Following a post-holiday dip, 
“Show Business” is still big in 
third round at Hipp. Third for 
“Deep in My Heart” at Stillman 
also looks nice. 

Estimates for This Week 

Allen (S-W) (3,000; 70-$l)— 

“Young at Heart” (WB). Lively 
$19,000. Last week. "Silver Chal- 
ice” (WB) (2d wk), $16,000. 

Hipp (Telem’t) (3.700; 75-$1.25) 
— "Show Business” (20th) (3d wk). 
Big $12,000. Last week, $16,000.. 

Lower Mall (Community) <585; 
60-90) — "Bread. Love, Dreams” 
(IFE). Good $2,506. Last week, 
"Illicit Interlude” (Indie) <2d wk), 
$ 2 , 200 . 

Ohio (Loew’s) (1.200; 60-90)— 
“Three Ring Circus" <Par) (m.o.) 
<3d wk). Bouncing to great $12,- 
000 following $10,000 last week. 

Palace (RKO) (3.287; 70-$D— 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” <BV> 
(3d wk). Smash $14,000. Last 
week, $27,000. 

State (Loew’s) <3.500; 60-90)— 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) <2d wk). Giant 
$20,000. May hold again. Last 
week. $32,000. 

Stillman (Loew’s) (2.700; 60-90)— 
"Deep in My Heart” (M-G) (3d wk). 
Fine $10,000, after $11,000 last 
week. 


‘PAGAN’ MIGHTY 20G, 

ST. LOO; ‘BIZ’ $18,000 

St. Louis, Jan. 11. 

Holdovers continued to hold the 
spotlight here in current session, 
with "Show Business” looking best 
with swell takings in third round 
at the St. Louis. "Sign of Pagan" 
is just rounding out a smash week 
at the huge Fox. ”20.000 Leagues 
Under Sea’" shapes solid in third 
frame at Orpheum. Snow started 
falling yesterday (Mon.) with pn*- 
diction of heavy precipitation hint- 
ing damage somewhat to the box- 
office. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador Mndiei (1.400; $120- 
$2.40* — "Cinerama" (Indio) <50th 
(Continued on page 22) 


Cat’ Fast 19G, Hub; ‘Pagan’ Sockeroo 
16G, ‘Biz’ Nifty 20G, ‘Heart’ 27G 


Boston, Jan. 11. 

Although a majority of firstruns 
along the inainstem are holding 
over, biz shapes fairly strong this 
frame. Newcomers, "Track of the 
Cat” at Paramount and Fenway, 
looks nice. “Sign of Pagan” 
shapes sock at the Astor in third 
week. "Show Business" in third 
round at the Memorial is excel- 
lent. and will hold. "Deep in My 
Heart” in second frame at Or- 
pheum and State looms good. 
"Bread, Love and Dreams” still is 
big in third round at Exeter. 

Estimates For This Week 

Astor iB&Q) (1.500; 70-$ 1.1 O'— 
“Sign of Pagan” <U) (3d wk'. Hold- 
ing at sockeroo $16,000. Last 
week, $16,500. . 

Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) <800; 
74-51.25) — “Romeo and Juliet” 
(UA) <3d wk). Good $5,000 shapes 
following $6,200 in second. 

Boston (Cinerama Productions) 
(1.354; $1.20-$2.85) — "Cinerama” 
(Indie) <54th wk». Back in groove 
at $20,000 following nifty $21,500 
in 53d week. 

Exeter < Indie) (1.300; 60-$D— 
I "Bread. Love, Dreams” <IFE) (3d 
; wk». Still big at $7,000 following 
! $7,500 in second. 

I Fenway (NET) <1,373; 50-90)— 


) "Track of Cat” (WB) and “Limping 
Man” <SG). Neat $5,000. Last 
week. "3 Ring Circus” (Par) and 
"Jamboree” (Indie), $5,000 in sec- 
ond week at tilted prices. 

Memorial (RKO> <3.000; 75-$1.25) 
— "Show Business” <20th) (3d wk). 
Nifty $20,000 following $26,500 for 
second. 

Metropolitan (NET) (4.367; 75- 
$1.25)— “Silver Chalice” (WB) (3d 
wk-4 days'. Fine $11,000 after 
$25,500 in second, 
i Orpheum (Loew’s) <3.000; 60-$l) 
— "Deep in Heart” (M-G) <2d wk». 
! Still solid at $17,000 after $26,000 
for first. 

Paramount (NET) (1,700; 50-90) 
— "Track of Cat” (WB) and "Limp- 
ing Man” (SG). Nice. $14,000. 
Last week, “3-Ring Circus 7 (Par) 
and "Jamboree” < indie) (2d wk>, 
$18,500 at upped scale. 

Pilgrim <ATC> <1.800; 65-95'— 
I “Shield For Murder” (UA) and 
i “The Men” <UA) (reissue). Fair 
$1,500 or near. Last week, “Vio- 
lent Men” (Col) and "Cannibal At- 
tack” <Col» <2d wk). $10,500. 

| State < Loew’s) <3.500; 60-$D— 
| "Deep in Heart” <M-G) (2d wk). 
! Off to about $10,000, good after 
< after $16,000 in first. 


Det. Hurt by Holdovers 
But ‘Cruz’ Giant 26G, 
‘Sea’ Sock 18G, Both 3d 

Detroit, Jan. 11. 

Holdovers are showing the pace 
of downtown biz this week, al- 
though "Vera Cruz’* and "20,000 
Leagues Under Sea” are still do- 
ing great at the Palms and Madi- 
son, respectively, former being 
especially sock. "Show Business” 
is slowing up at the Fox. Same 
applies to “Silver Chalice” at the 
Michigan. “Deep in My Heart” at 
United Artists still is okay in third. 
"Phffft” is slightly above average 
in second round at the Adams. 
"Cinerama” is on upbeat in 95th 
week at Music Hall. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; $1.25- 
$1.50) — "Show Business” oiOth) 
(3d wk). Down to fair $24,000. Last 
week. $30,000. 

Michigan (United Detroit) (4.000; 
$1-$1. 25)— “Silver Chalice” <WB) 
(3d wk). Tarnishing some at $16,- 
000. Last week, $23,000. 

Palms (UD) (2.961; $1-$1 .25) — 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) and "Diamond 
Wizard” (UA) (3d wk). Smash $26,- 
000 or near. Last week, $35,000. 

Madison (UD) (1,900; $1-$1 .2o) — 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” (BV) 
<3d wk). Big $18,000. Last week, 
$25,000. 

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3.500; 
80-$l) — "Cattle Queen Montana” 
(RKO) and "Passion” (RKO). Slim 
$10,000. Last week, “Destrv” <U) 
and "Yellow Mountain" (U) (2d 
wk-4 days), $6,000. 

United Artists (UA) (1,938; $1- 
$1.25)— "Deep In Heart” (M-G) (3d 
wk). Okay $12,000. Last week, 
$17 500 

Adams (Balaban) (1,700; 80-95) 
—"Phffft” (Col) (2d wk). Good 
$7,500. Last week, $12,200. 

Music Hall (Cinerama Produc- 
tions) (1,194; $1.40-$2.65)— "Cine- 
rama” (Indie) (95th wk). Up to 
ibig $16,000. Last week, $14,600. 


Cincinnati, Jan. 11. 

Holdovers at all locations this 
week are piling up a big total trail- 
ing the New Year’s Eve splurge. 
“Show Business” at the huge Al- 
bee retains the lead in total coin, 
but is only slightly ahead of 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” at the 
smaller Palace. However, standout 
is “Vera Cruz,” with a mighty take 
for the 1,500-seat Keith's although 
now in third week. “Cinerama" is 
on upswing after holiday dio. 
“3-Rir.g Circus” is rated solid in 
second frame of moveover at the 
Grand. 

Estimates for This Week 

Albee (RKO) (3,100; 75-90)— 

“Show Business” <20th) <2d wk). 
Great $17,000 after $30,000 bow. 

Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp.) 
(1.376; $1.20-$2.65) — "Cinerama” 
(Indie) (30th wk). Upgrading to 
$18,000 after last week’s $17,000. 
Press, radio and tv campaigns open 
Jan. 18 in Lexington and Louis- 
ville, Ky., Indianapolis. Dayton and 
Columbus, O., where there are 
ticket agencies for pic. 

Grand (RKO) (1,400; 75-90)— “3 
Ring Circus” (Par) (m.o.) (2d wk). 
Solid $7,500 following $12,500 last 
week. 

Keith’s (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25'— 
“Vera Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). Wow 
$11,000, amazing for such a small 
house. Last week, $15,200. Holds 
a fourth. 

Palace (RKO) <2.600; 75-$D— 
“Leagues Under Sea” <BV) (2d 
wk). Plenty potent $16,000 or 
over in wake of $26,000 preem. 


‘Star’ Bright $25,000 In 
Toronto; ‘Pagan’ Smash 
12G, ‘Biz’ Hot 16G, 3d 

Toronto, Jan. 11. 

“Star Is Born,” one of few new- 
comers, looks to get a wham total 
here this round, with town still 
jumping to top biz. many pix being 
in third stanzas. "Show Business.” 
at Shea’s, “Deep in Heart” at 
Loew’s and “Sign of Pagan” at 
the Uptown look standout. "4 Guns 
To Border” is ace newcomer, play- 
ing four houses. "Trouble in Glen” 
is near capacity at the Hyland. 
Estimates for This Week 

Downtown, Glendale, Scarboro, 
State (Taylor) (1,059; 955; 698; 694; 
40-70) — "4 Guns to Border” <U) 
and "Bob Mathias Story” (AA). 
Hefty $13,500. Last week, "Bounty 
Hunter” (WB) and “Bowery to 
Bagdad” <AA), $15,500. 

Eglinton, University (FP) (1.080; 
1.558; 50-80)— "Young at Heart” 
(WB) (3d wk). Fine $11,000. Last 

VVPPlf camp 

Hyland (Rank) (1.354; 60-80)— 
"Trouble in Glen” (Rep) (3d wk). 
Near capacity at $6,000. Last week, 
$7 000. 

Imperial (FP) <3.373; 60-$D— 
“Star Is Born” (WB). Wham $25.- 
000, doing five shows daily. Last 
week. "3-Ring Circus” (Par) (2d 
wk), $12,000. 

International (Taylor) <605; 50- 
80)— "Belles St. Trinian’s (IFD). 
Hefty $5,000. Last week, $5,500. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,090; 60-$l) — • 
"Deep In Heart” (M-G) <3d wk). 
Hep $14,000. Last week, $17,500. 

Odeon (Rank) (2,380; 75-$l>— 
“Purple Plain” (Rank) (2d wk). 
Big $13,000. Last week. $16,000. 

Shea’s (FP) (2.386; 75-$l)— 

"Show Business” (20th) (3d wk). 
Hotsy $16,000. Last week, $19,000. 

Towne (Taylor) (693; 60-90>— 
“Vanishing Prairie” (Disney) <3d 
wk). Lusty $6,000. Last week, 
i $7,000. 

Uptown (Loew’s) (2.745; 60-80) 
— "Sign of Pagan” <U> <3d wk). 
Sock $12,000 or near. Last week, 
$14,000. 


‘Cruz’ Hangup $14,000, 
Denver; ‘Biz’ Big 18G 

Denver, Jan. 11. 

Denver firstruns are still loaded 
with holdovers in the current ses- 
sion but not many of these long- 
stayers will continue after this 
w'eek. “Show Business” looms bet- 
ter than last round, and stays on 
at the Center. Almost as strong is 
“Vera Cruz,” with a socko third 
stanza at the Paramount. "Leagues 
Under Sea” and "Deep in My 
Heart” also hold for fourth weeks. 
Estimates for This Week 

Centre <Fox) (1,247; 60-$ U— 

“Show Business” (20th) (3d wk). 
Big $18,000. Holds on. Last week, 
$17,000. 

Denham (Cockrill) <1,750; 60-$ 1) 
— “3-Ring Circus” (Par) (3d wk). 
Fine $7,000. Last week. $12,000. 

Denver (Fox) (2.525; 60-$D— 

“Leagues Under Sea” <BV) (3d 
(Continued on page 22) 


Wednesday. January 12, 1935 


PICTl’RE CROSSES 


H.O.’s Help Chi; ‘Cruz’-LaRosa Wham 
$70,000 in 2d, 'Sea’ Lush 45G, Biz’ 
Solid 28G, ‘This Paris’ Soclo 14G 


Chicago. Jan. 11. 

Loop biz is holding up strongly 
Respite a flock of holdovers and 
midweek rain. Even with only two 
„ew pix bowing, post-holiday 
slump is not of major proportions. 
* Beau Brummel” at the Grand 
looks fancy $16,000 and “Down 3 
Dark Streets” at Woods with tall 
533.000 are new fijms. 

In second frame. “Vera Cruz" 
shapes terrific $70,000 at the Chi- 
ca 'o with Julius LaRosa heading 
vaude. “So This Is Paris” at Roose- 
velt. also second, looms sock 
$ 14000. 

Third stanza for “20.000 Leagues 
Under Sea” still looks lush at the 
State-Lake while at Oriental “No 
Business Like Show Business" 
continues strong. “Silver Chalice" 
at United Artists looks nice also 
in third while Loop’s "Hansel and 
Gretel" shapes nifty in third, too. 
‘ Deep in My Heart” is rated fair 
for third round. 

•Aida” at World is grabbing 
H socko take for third stanza. The 
7Gth week at the Patace for "Cine- 
rama” continues staunch. 

Estimates for This Week 

Carnegie (Telem’t) (480; 95) — 
“George K. Arthur’s Prize Pack- 
age” < Indie > (3d wk). Oke $3,000. 
Lust week, $4,500. 

Chicago <B&K> (3.900; 98-$1.50> 

— Vera Cruz" tUA) with Julius 
LaRosa topping vaude (2d wk). 
Giant S70.000. Last week. $100,000. 

Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98- 

51 25’ — "Beau Brummel” (M-G). 
Nifty $16,000. Last week, “Fire 
Over Africa” (Col) and “They Rode 
West” (Col> (2d wk), $11,500. 

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25»— 
“Hansel and Gretel” (RKO» (3d 
wk'. Fancy $12,500. Last week. 
515,400. 

McVickers (JL&S) (2.200; 65- 
$1.25) — ‘‘Deep In Heart” (M-G) 
1 3d wk>. Fair $16,500. Last week, 

§25.000. 

Monroe (Indie) (.000; 65-87) — 
“Fight ing Pimpernel” (Indie) and 
“Black Pirates” (Indie) (2d wk>. 
Sluggish $4,500. Last week, $6,500. 

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25> 
— “Show Business” (20th) (3d wk>. 
Solid $28,000. Last week, $49,000. 
Palace <Eitel> (1,484; $1.25-$3.40) 

— Cinerama” (Indie) (76th wk). 
Staunch $19,000. Last week, 
$40,000. 

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-981— 
“So This Is Paris” (U) and “Golden 
Mistress” (UA) (2d wk). Should 
get a great $14,000 or near. Last 

week. $21,500. 

State-Lake »B&K) (1,400; 65-98) 
— ‘ '20,000 Leagues Under Sea” 
< BV » <3d wk>. Heading for lush 
$45,000. Last week, $55,000. 

Surf i II&E) Balaban) (685; 95> — 
“Detective” (Col) (3d wk). Strong 
$5 500. Last week. $6,000. 

United Artists (B&K) (1.700; 98- 
$1.25)— "Silver Chalice” <WB> (3d 
wk>. Trim $16,000. Last week. 
$18,000. 

Woods (Essaness) (1,206; 98- 

$125) — “Down 3 Dark Streets” 
<LA'. Hotsy $33,000. Last week, 
“Last Time Saw Paris” (M-G) (6th 

Wk 1 . $22,000. 

World » Indie) (697; 98)— “Aida” 
(IKK i (3d wk). Smash $8,500. Last 
week, $10,500. 


Estimates Are Net 

Film gross estimates as re- 
ported herewith from the vari- 
ous key cities, are net; i.e., 
without usual tax. Distrib- 
utors share on net take, when 
playing percentage, hence the 
estimated figures are net in- 
come. 

The parenthetic admission 
prices, however, as indicated, 
include the U. S. amusement 
tax. 


‘Sea’ Rosy 15%G, 
Balto; Biz’ lO^G 

Baltimore, Jan. 11. 

“Destry” is the lone new entry 
here this week and it’s pleasing at 
the Mayfair. Remainder of list is 
all holdover, with many tending 
to be mild. “Show Business” con- 
tinues solid in third round at the 
Town. “20.000 Leagues” is likely 
hefty at the Hipp, also third. Third 
*veek of "3 Ring Circus” is still 
potent at Keith’s. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (Loew’s-UA) (3,000; 25- 
65-95' — “Deep In Heart” (M-G) 
(3d wk). Melting to neat$7,000 after 
$12,000 in second. 

Cinema (Schwaber) (466; 50-$l> 
— “Bread. Love. Dreams” (IFE) 
(3d wk). Okay $3,500. Last week, 
$4,000. 

Film Centre (RappaporU (960; 
50-$ D— “Detective” (Col) (3d wk). 
Nice $5,500 after $7,800 in second. 

Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2.100; 
50-Sl) _ “20.000 Leagues Sea” 
(BV) (3d wk'. Still rosy at $15,500 
after $22,000 for New Year’s sec- 
ond week. 

Keith’s (Fruchtman) (2,400; 35- 
$D— “3-Ring Circus” ( Par) (3d 
wk». Fine $9,000 or near. Last 
week. $15,000. 

Little (Rappaport) (310; 50-$l) — 
“Aida” (IFE) (3d wk). Brisk $3,800. 
Last week, $5,000. 

Mayfair (Hicks) (980; 25-70'— 
“Destry” (U>. Pleasing $4,000. Last 
week, “Hansel And Gretel” (RKO) 
(2d wk). $2,500. 

New' (Fruchtman) (1,800; 35-$l) 
—“Desiree” (20th) (3d wk). Oke 
$7,500 after $13,000 in the second. 

Playhouse (Schwaber' (320; 50- 
Sl )_“Rear Window” (Par) (12th- 
final wk). Okay $2,000. Last week, 
$2,500. 

Stanley (WB> (3,200; 30-75-$l)— 
“Silver Chalice” (WB) (3d wk). 
Slim $6,500 after $9,000 in second. 

Town (Rappaport) (1.600; 50-$l) 
— “Show Business” (20th > (3d wk). 
Solid $10,500 after $16,000 for 
second. 


‘Sea’ Robust $12,000, 

Port. ; ‘Biz* Sturdy 9G 

Portland, Ore., Jan. 11. 

Town is bogged down with hold- 
overs currently. Nearly all spots 
have strong product but long play- 
ing tim*. is cutting take. “20,000 
Leagues Under Sea” still is socko 
at the Orpheum in third round. 
"Show Business” continues big at 
the Fox, also in third. “Young at 
Heart” looms okay in second ses- 
sion at Broadway. 

Estimate* for This Week 

Broadway (Parker) (1,890; 65-90) 
— “Young at Heart” (WB) and 
‘Bounty Hunter" (WB) (2d wk). 
Okay $7,000. Last week, $11,600. 

Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.25> 
— "Show Business” (20th) (3d wk'. 
Sturdy $9,000 or over. Last week, 
$14,000. 

Guild (Indie) (400; $1>— "Little 
Kidnappers” (Indie) (3d wk). So-so 
$1,500. Last week, $3,200. 

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,875; 75- 

$1) — "Deep in Heart” (M-G) and 
“4 Guns to Border” ( U » (3d wk>. 
Neat $4,000 in 4 days. Last week, 
$13,300. 

Orpheum (Evergreen) (1,600; $1- 
$1.25) — "20,000 Leagues Under 
Sea” (BV) (3d wk). Stout $12,000. 
Last week, $22,000. 

Paramount (Port-Par) (3,400; 65- 
90) — “Tw'ist of Fate" (UA) and 
“Khyber Patrol" (UA). Modest 
$6,500. Last week. “3-Ring Cir- 
cus" (Par) and “Operation Man- 
hunt" (UA) (2d wk), $10,800. 


‘Biz’ Boff $12,000, Mpls. 
2d; ‘Cruz’ Wow 7G, 3d, 
‘Pagan’ Torrid 8G, 2d 

Minneapolis, Jan. 11. 

With almost a record number of 
holdovers still hitting the boxoffice 
jackpot, current week is unique in 
that it’s sans a single important 
Loop newcomer. "20,000 Leagues 
T- ruler Sea," "Vera Cruz” and 
Deep in Heart” are in third 
v eeks, “Cruz” being especially 
smas h. “Show Business’* and “Sign 
01 pagan” both in their second 
sessions are big. Good weather 
continues to be a favorable box- 
oifice factor. 

Estimates for This Week 

Century (S-W) (1,140; $1.75- 

vV , ' )l — “Cinerama” (Indie) (39th 
v ,!■. Down from its sensational 

!nn lda i v highs * but sti11 big at $10,- 
uu Jh Dast week, $12,000. 

. Gopher (Berger) (1.000; 65-85)— 
'era Cruz” (UA) (3d wk). One of 
/» boxoffice performers ever at 
iMis house. Smash $7,000 or near. 
i..ist week. $8,000 after $14,000 
r,. 1 , eanto. latter being unheard 
01 at this small house. 

. fF>ar) • 1 000; 65-85) — 

Locke 1 Man- (20th) and “Racing 
Blood (20th). Modest $4,000. Last 

' Continued on page 22) 


‘DESTRY’ DANDY 10G, 
INDPLS.; ‘BIZ’ FAT 12G 

Indianapolis, Jan. 11. 

Biz still is feeling holiday up- 
surge at most first-runs here this 
stanza. “Show business” is still 
hot and leading town second week 
at the Indiana. “Destry” at Circle 
is nice and ace newcomer. “Beau 
Brummell” at Loew’s looms mild. 
“Outlaw’s Daughter” is modest at 
Lyrics. 

Estimates for This Week 

Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2.800; 50- 
85i — “Destry” <U) and “This Is 
Your Army” (20th>. Nice $10,000. 
Last week. “Young At Heart” 
(WB), $13,000. 

Indiana (C-D> (3,200; 75-$l)— 
“Show Business” (20th) (2d wk). 
Very good $12,000 on top of $22,- 
000 opener. 

Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,427; 50-80' — 
“Beau Brummell” (M-G) and "Op- 
eration Manhunt” UA). Mild 
$8,000, mostly at matinees. Last 
week, “Deep In Heart” (M-G), 
$ 12 , 000 . 

Lyric (C-D) (1.600; 35-70)— 

“Outlaw’s Daughter” (20th) and 
Wild Wind” (Par) (reissue) and 
“Devil's Harbor” (20th). Modest 
$5,000, with All-Star Jamboree on- 
stage replacing second feature 
Sundays only. Last week, “Reap 
Wild Wind" (Par) .reissue) and 
“Medal of Honor” (Indie), $6,500 
with same setup. 


‘Sea’ Boffo 20G, 
D.C.; ‘Young’ 15G 

Washington. Jan. 11. 

With only one newcomer on 
mainstem’s horizon, b.o. has few 
high spots this week. Neverthe- 
less, biz is unusually steady for 
combo of post-holiday session and 
plethora of holdovers. “Sign of 
Pagan” is bright at Playhouse. 
“20,000 Leagues Under Sea” at 
RKO Keith’s continues leader in 
third stanza. “Show Business,” in 
third round at Loew's Palace shows 
unusual strength. “Young At 
Heart” shapes nice in two houses, 
the sole newcomer. 

Estimates for This Week 

Ambassador <SWi (1.400; 60-85' 
— “Young at Heart” (WB). Good 
$5,000 or close. Last week, “Silver 
Chalice” (WB) (2d wk), $5,000 in 
9 days. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (3.434; 75-$D— 
“Deep In Heart” (M-G> (3d wk). 
Okay $10,000 after $15,000 in sec- 
ond. 

Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 70-95) 
— “Athena” <M-G) (2d wk>. Okay 
$5,000 after $9,000 last week. 

Dupont (Lopert) (372; 65-$l'< — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (3d wk). Hefty 
$6,000 for second week in row. 
Stays on. 

Keith’s (RKO) (1.939; 75-$l»— 
“20,000 Leagues” (BV> (3d wk). 
Fancy $20,000 or thereabouts. Last 
week. $24,000. Holds again. 

Metroplitan (SW> (1.200; 60-85) 
— “Young at Heart” (WB). Good 
$10,000. Last week, “Silver Chal- 
ice” (WB) (2d wk), $13,700 in 9 
days. 

Palace (Loew’s) (2.370; 90-$1.25) 
— “Show r Business” (20th) (3d wk'. 
Solid $15,000 after $22,000 last 
week. Stays another round. 

Playhouse (Lopert) (435; 70-$ 1) 
— “Sign of Pagan” (U» (3d wk'. 
Bright $6,000 or over. Last week, 
$7,000. 

Warner (SW) (1.300; 1.20-$2.40) 
— "Cinerama” (Indie) (61st wk). 
Still very steady at $12,000 for sec- 
ond consecutive week. 

Trans-Lux <T-L> (600; 70-$l) — 
“Phffft” (Col) <2d vvk). Very solid 
$8,000 after $11,000 opener. Holds 


on. 


B’way Runs Out of Holiday Punch 
But ‘Heart’ Firm 132G 5th, ‘Girl’ 
54 1 /4G 4th, ‘Cruz’ 49G, ‘Leagues’ 40G 


‘Contessa’ Tall $19,000, 

Pitt; ‘Circus’ Lusty 20G, 
‘Show Biz’ Big 11G, 3d 

Pittsburgh, Jan. 11. 

“Barefoot Contessa” at Penn and 
“Three Ring Circus” at the Stan- 
ley are the only new pix downtown, 
both being great. Former had been 
ticketed for one week and out, but 
may hold. “Show' Business” in third 
week holding well at Harris. “Cine- 
rama” is booming on post-holiday 
rush and closing notice. 

Estimates for This Week 

Fulton (Shea) (1.700; 65-$1.10)— 
“Carmen Jones” (20th) (3rd wk). 
Holding up well at $7,500. Last 
week. $10,600. 

Harris (Harris) (2,165; 65-$1.25) 
— "Show Business” (20th) (3d wk). 
Weekdays off but weekends still 
are good; will hit over $11,000. big. 
Almost a cinch to stay. Last week; 
$17,000. 

Penn (UA) (3,300; 65-$D— “Bare- ! 
foot; Contessa” (UA). Surprise to' 
(Continued on page 22) l 


Broadway firstruns. all with 
holdovers, are doing very good i 
currently, although under last 
week. 

Biggest money for a longrun 
continues to go to the Music Hall 
w here “Deep m My Heart” with ; 
Xmas stageshow is in its fifth ses- 
sion. This week looks to reach a 
big $132,000 and pic holds for a | 
sixth week. Next best showing is 
being made by “Country Girl.” 
with a terrific $54,500 in prospect 
for fourth stanza at the Criterion. 

"Vera Cruz” continues its smash 
run at the Capitol with around 
$49,000 in sight for current »3d) 
frame. “20.000 Leagues Under 
Sea” is great at the Astor with 
$40,000 probable for third week. 

Also in third round, “Silver 
Chalice” looks to give the Para- 
mount a fancy $42,000. “Show- 
Business, ” which held remarkably 
well in the third week, is off to a 
fast $55,000 in current <4th> ses- 
sion at the Roxy. It stays on until 
“The Racers” opens around Jan. 27. 

"Three-Ring Circus” continues 
stoutly with $25,000 probable in 
present <3d) stanza at the State. 
“Gate of Hell” still was terrific in 
fourth week ended Monday (10) at 
the Guild. 

“Green Fire” is heading for a 
mild $11,000 at Mayfair in third 
week. “The Detective” still was in 
the chips in 10th Fine Arts session 
ended last Sunday (9> with $5,700. 
and is holding. “Holiday for Hen- 
rietta” opens Jan. 24. 

“Black Tuesday” proved so 
strong in its first stanza that it is 
holding a second at the Palace, 
which is seldom done. Paired with 
new vaude bill, it is fancy $21,000 
or near on holdover w e e k. 
“Athena” staggered through its 
third round at the Globe, with 
“Theodora” opening yesterday 
(Tues.). “Prince' of Players” also 
opened yesterday, at the Rivoli. 

Estimates for This Week 

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$1.75> 

— “20.000 Leagues Under Sea” 
(BV) (3d wk>. Current session 
winding up today (Wed.) likely 
will hold with great $40,000 after 
$60,000 for second week. Continues 
on indef at this pace. 

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie) 
(550; $1.25-$2.20> — “Aida” (IFE) 
(9th wk'. Current stanza ending 
today (Wed.) is heading for big 
$8,500 after $11,300 in eighth 
week. 

Baronet (Reade) (430; 90-$1.55) 
— “Game of Love” (Indie) (5th wk). 
Fourth round ended yesterday 
(Tues.) held with big $9 500 after 
$9,800 in third week. Holds on. 

Capitol (Loew’s) (4.820; 85-$2.20) 

— “Vera Cruz” (UA> (3d wk). 
Present session winding Friday 
(14) looks to continue smash with 
$49,000 or near after $60,000 in 
second week. Gives Cap greatest 
first three weeks in many months. 

Criterion (Moss) (1.700; 75-$2.20) 
—“Country Girl” (Par) (4th wk). 
Current round winding today 
(Wed.) is heading for socko $54,500 
after $68,000 in third. Stays on 
indef. 

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$ 1 80) 
—“Detective” (Col) (11th wk). The 
10th frame ended Sunday <9> held 
with fire $5,700 after $8,600 in 
ninth week. “Holiday For Hen- 
rietta” (Arde) opens Jan. 24. 

Globe (Brandt) (1.500; 70-S1.50) 

— "Theodora” (IFE). Opened 
yesterday (Tues.). In ahead. 
“Athena” (M-G) (3d wk). week 
ended Mondav (10). including 
preview’, hit fair $7,000 after $16,- 
000 in second. 

Guild (Guild) (450; $1-$1 75) — 
“Gate of Hell” (Indie) <5th wk'. 
Fourth frame ended Monday (10) 
was wow $22,500 after $28,000 in 
third. 

Mayfair (Brandt) d.736; 79-$l .80) 

— "Green Fire” (M-G) (3d vvk). 
This week ending tomorrow 
(Thurs.) is heading for mild $11.- 
000 or near after $18,000 in second. 
“Americano” (RKO) onens Jan. 20. 

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 95- 
$1.80) — “Big Day” (Indie) (4th 
wk). This session finishing tomor- 
row (Thurs.) looks to hold at okay 
$4,000 after $4,200 in third. “The 
Beachcomber” (UA) opens Jan. 15. 

Palace (RKO) (1.700; 50-$1.60) 
— “Black Tuesday" (UA) (2d wk'. 
plus new vaudeville bill. Week 
winding tomorrow (Thurs.) looks 
to get fancy $21,000. Same pic 
with another vaude lineup hit 
smash $29,000 last week, best here 
in manv weeks. 

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3 66- 1 ; 85- 
$1 .75' — "Silver Chalice" (WB) <3d 
wk). This round finishing Friday 
0 4) lnoks to hold with fine $42- 
000 after $53,000 in second week. 


Stays on, with “Young in Heart’* 
(WB) due in soon. 

Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 90- 
$1.80) — “Animal Farm” (Indie) (3d 
vvk). Second week ended yesterday 
(Tues.) held with sturdy $11,000 
after $13,500 for initial round. 
“Wages of Fear” (Indie) is due in 
next. 

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- 
fellers) (6.200; 95-$2.75) — "Deep in 
My Heart” (M-G) and Xmas stage- 
show (5th wk). Present session 
winding up today (Wed.) looks to 
hit big $132,000 after $189,000 in 
fourth, just $1,000 below third 
week total. “Nativity” portion of 
Christmas stageshow winds up 
with show’s next Sunday (16) but 
same stageshow otherwise plus 
“Heart” stays on through Jan. 19. 
“Bridges at Toko-Ri” (Par) opens 
Jan. 20. 

Rivoli (UAT) (2,092; 85-$2'— 

“Prince of Players” (20th). Opened 
yesterday (Tues.). In ahead. “Car- 
men Jones” (20th) (llth wk-4 days), 
lean $6,000 after $13,000 in 10th 
full week. 

Roxy (NatM. Th.) (5,717; 65-$2.40) 
— "Show Business" (20th) (4th wk). 
Current stanza finishing tomorrow 
(Thurs.) is heading for good $55,- 
000 after $87,000 in third week. 
Stays on, with "The Racers” (20th) 
due in Jan. 27 or 28, according 
to present plans. 

State (Loew’s) (3.450; 78-$1.75) 
— “3-Ring Circus” (Par) (3d wk). 
This round ending tomorrow 
(Thurs.) looks to hit sturdy $25,000 
after $34,000 in second week. 

Sutton (R&B) (561; $1-$1.80)— 
"Romeo and Juliet” HJA) (4th wk). 
Third round concluded yesterday 
(Tues.) was socko $13,200 after 
$16,700 in second week. Continues 
on. 

Trans-Lux 60th St. (T-L) (453; 
$1-$1. 50)— “Festival of Revivals” 
current to finish out month until 
house closes Jan. 23. In ahead, 
“Hunters of Deep” (DC A) (3d wk- 
8 days), was light $2,500. House 
is being torn dowu to make way 
for an office building. 

Trans-LUx 52nd St. (T-L) (540; 
$1-$1.50)— “Tonight’s the Night” 
(AA) (3d wk). Th»a session wind- 
ing up today (Wed.) looks to hold 
with fancy $7,000 after $9,200 in 
second week. 

Victoria (City Inv.) (1.060; 50- 
$1.75)— “Star Is Born” (WB) (14th 
wk). The 13th stanza ended Sun- 
day (9) held with good $16,800 
after the 12th week soared to $36,- 
000, one of biggest totals of run. 
“Unchained” (WB) due in late this 
month. 

Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600; 
$1.20-$3.30> — “Cinerama" (Indie) 
(84th wk). The 83d stanza ended 
Saturday (8) was great $41,000 
after $46,000 in 82d week, which 
included extra shows. Next "Cine- 
rama” production is due to open 
Feb. 8. 


H.0.s Clip K.C. Albeit 
‘Circus’ Big $9,000, ‘Sea’ 
12G, ‘Biz’ 9G, 3d Wks. 

Kansas City, Jan. 11. 

Holdovers hold the town solid as 
extra time is accorded the wealtli 
of big pictures brought in original- 
ly for the holidays. One of the 
few occasions here, not a single 
new bill is offered currently. Still 
some solid money around. "20.000 
Leagues" being rated hefty in 
third week in four Fox Midwest 
houses. “Show Business" looms 
fancy in third week at Orpheum. 
Equally big is “3 Ring Circus" also 
in third week at Paramount. "Sil- 
ver Chalice” in second week at the 
Missouri is sluggish while “Young 
at Heart" is medium at the Roxy 
on third week. 

Estimates for This Week 

Glen (Dickinson) (750; 85-$ 1 ) — 
“High and Dry” (U) (10th wk) and 
“The Promoter" <U) (2d run). Fair 
$900. Last week. same. 

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 75-$l) — 
“Romeo and Juliet” (UA) (3d wk). 
Off to mild $1,400. Last week, 
$1,800. 

Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 65-90) 
— “Deep In Heart” (M-G) (2d wk). 
Fairish $7,000, first time solo for 
house in months. Last week, 
$13 000 

Missouri (RKO) (2.650; 65-90)— 
"Silver Chalice" (WB) (2d wk). 
Sluggish $6,000. House using sin- 
gle feature first time in weeks. 
Last week. $12,000. 

Orpheum (Fox Midwest' (1913; 
75-$ 1 > — “Show Business” (20th) 
(Continued on page 22) 


10 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


PICTURES 


Big Circuits, Shotgun-Divorced, 

Hope for Drive-In Expansion 


Washington, Jan. 11. 

The five major theatre circuits in 
the picture business have eyes for 
expansion, all of them apparently 
flirting with the idea of taking on 
drive-in operations. Ironically, the 
five chains have been legally re- 
strained from adding new theatre 
properties since antitrust decrees 

were entered in 1947. And this 
was the year when the roadside 
houses first became noticed as po- 
tentially big revenue producers on 
the national scale — and the major 
circuits, for the most part, were 
barred from the field. It’s no se- 
cret, of course, that the al fresco 
situations have grown to important 
stature in film economics. 

The ‘’big five” are now winding 
up their programs of dropping 
large numbers of theatres to con- 
form with the court decrees. Upon 
completion of these divestitures 
the theatre companies will seek ap- 
proval from the Department of 
Justice for acquisition of new out- 
lets, including ozoners. 

Approval being sought is in the 
form of 'modification of the exist- 


Yugo-Russo Film Swap 

Washington, Jan. 1L 
Russia and Yugoslavia are 
about to sign an agreement for 
the purchase of blocks of each 
other’s motion pictures, ac- 
cording to word reaching here. 

The two countries have been 
dickering since Nov. 1 and 
have, reached agreements on 
basic issues. 


Italy Goofs Tint 
Print Test; May 
Protect Its Labs 

Italy is moving to make it man- 
datory for American film com- 
panies to do all of their color film 
processing — excepting Technicolor 
— in Italian labs. Distribs in N. Y. 
, . . . . . ... . . have been told that Italo authori- 

ng decrees which bar such branch- i ties are mulling cancellation of im- 


ing out. Of the five, only the RKO 
circuit is privileged to buy up new’ 
houses but on condition there’s an 
okay from the Federal Court in 
N. Y. which heard the industry 
antitrust suit some years ago. The 
others require the D. of J. green- 
lighting. 

United Paramount is the only 
national chain now in the drive-in 
field, having picked up some out- 
door spots, mainly in the south, via 
reshuffling of ownerships with pre- 
vious partners. 

All five chains’ divestiture opera- 
tions are due for winding up within 
the next few months. It’s at this 
point that they’ll expectedly seek to 
expand. 


WRITERS' EXECS IGNORE 
RED TAKEOVER CRACK 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

An anti-Communist constitution- 
al amendment will be revived at 
the next membership meeting of 
Writers Guild of America by Paul 
Gangelin. for years identified in a 
strong anti-Red movement in the 
Screen Writers Guild. A similar 
amendment failed adoption recent- 
ly by three votes short of the re- 
quired two-thirds. Gangelin l s move 
was also in rebuttal to WGA mem- 
ber Borden Chase, who said he 
will not revive his measure which 
was beaten, declaring “I’m tired of 
fighting the Communists in the 
guild.” and predicting the Reds 
would “take over” WGA in a year. 

Gangelin termed Chase’s declara- 
tion one “without foundation.” No 
officer of WGA chose to answer 
Chase when contacted by Variety. 


port licenses on all non-Techni tint 
prints retroactive to Jan. 1, 1955. 
There’s been no official word on 
this yet. 

Color test reel printed in an 
Italian lab had convinced tjie 
U.S. companies earlier that, from a 
quality point-of-view at least, they 
couldn’t accede to an Italian re- 
quest that they do a share of their 
tlat work in Italy. 

The color reel had been sent to 
Italy by Warner Bros, and the 
sample print was returned to N.Y. 
last w«<ek. There are indications 
that the Italians themselves 
weren’t happy with the outcome. 
However, the Motion Picture Ex- 
port Assn, has officially notified 
Eitel Monaco-, head of ANICA, the 
Italo film biz org, that it wasn’t 
pleased vyith the results of the 
test. 

When Monaco and an Italian 
delegation were in the U.S. last 
year for general talks with MPEA 
prexy Eric Johnston, they brought 
up the question of local color 
printing and their desire to have 
the American distribs do more of 
their work in the Rome labs. Ex- 
planation was that these labs had 
been doing a good deal of black- 
and-white printing in the past and 
that, with Hollywood’s switch to 
color, they were now facing the 
loss of that business, with resultant 
unemployment. MPEA at that time 
agreed to print in Italy, provided 
price and quality were comparable 
with U.S. standards. 

One of the reasons given for the 
failure of the test was that the 
Italians attempted to print off an 
Eastman color negative onto Fer- 
rania color, which is the tint 
process most widely in use in 
Italy. This is said to involve con- 
siderable problems since the two 
systems aren’t absolutely compat- 
ible. A large percentage of the 

Honilloc Icrooli Pir 1 u s - Cinemascope pix are lensed 
llallUlC* lol aCll lit on Eastman color negative and 

An American company to repre- printed on Eastman positive. Some 
sent the Israel film industry in the are Printed by Technicolor in its 


Barry Hyams (Legiter) 


western hemisphere has been or- 
ganized by legit pressagent Barry 
Hyams and bearing his name. Has 
already concluded a deal with Zvi 
Kolitz of Si-kor Films for the U. S. 
distribution of “Hill 24 Doesn’t 
Answer,” an Israel-made feature in 
English. 

It was adapted for the screen by 
the author and Peter Frye and di- 
rected by England’s Thorold Dick- 
inson. Exteriors were filmed in 
the Negev desert, Haifa, and Acre, 
and interiors were shot at the Is- 
rael Motion Picture Studios in 
Herzliah where the film was also 
processed. 

Hyams also concluded arrange- 
ments with Yehoshua Brandstatter, 
head of IMPS, to represent the 
studio in the distribution of a 
number of subjects of 


own imbibition process. 

Execs in N. Y. say that, if the 
quality of the Italian lab work were 
acceptable, they’d be delighted to 
print in Italy since this would 
involve duty and other savings. 


Federals Place Schines’ 
Switchboard as Source 
Of Elmart Instructions 

Buffalo, Jan. 11. 

Further linking of alleged Schine 
subsidiary coroprations to Schine 
Chain Theatres, Inc., marked the 
proceedings in the contempt of 
court action by the United States 
Government against Schine inter- 
ests in Federal Court here this 
week. Telephone service to El- 
mart Theatres Inc. at Gloversville 
was provided through the switch- 
board of the main Schine corpora- 
tion «Schine Chain Theatres Inc.) 
and charged to Schine, according 
to the evidence.. This was in sup- 
port of the government’s claim that 
Elmert, of which Common Council 
President Elmer F. Lux is presi- 
dent, and who is a defendant in 
the present action, is being operat- 
ed under the Schine corporation's 
control in contravention and con- 
tempt of a court order. 

Telephone company officials de- 
nied on- cross examination by 
Schine counsel that the FBI had 
sought phone company permission 
lor wire-tapping in connection with 
its investigation of the Schine cor- 
porations. A question from Judge 
Knight as to who was charged with 
the Elmart telephone service 
brought the reply from a tele- 
phone official “Schine Chain The- 
atres Inc.,” and it was further de- 
veloped that the Schine switch- 
board connection for Elmart was 
discontinued a few days after the 
FBI investigation was started. 

Managers of Elmart Theatres all 
maintained reserve accounts in 
Gloversville (home of the Schine 
parent corporation) from which 
checks were drawn for expenses of 
their theatres. Florence Olsen, 
secretary-treasurer of Elmart, said 
that instructions as to payment did 
not come from Lux as she had 
seen him only once. 

Other proof was also presented 
that Darnell Theatres Inc., prede- 
cessor of Elmart in the holdings of 
the theatres of the latter company, 
while supposedly independent of 
Schine, was actually linked with 
and under Schine control. De- 
tailed financial transactions among 
the various corporations in sup- 
port of the government’s allega- 
tions were testified to at length by 
finance officers of the various cor- 
porations. 


NIGHT USE OF METERS 


Downtown Minneapolis Theatres 
Deplore Civic Proposal 


Minneapolis. Jan. 11. 

Another headache looms for 
downtown firstrun theatres. 

The city council is studying a 
proposal to operate the loop park- 
ing meters at night. 

At present there’s free parking 
along the curbs downtown after 6 
p.m. 


ALBERT HANSON BURNS 
AT SENATOR SCHOEPPEL 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Incensed at the recent blast against 
him by Sen. Andrew F. Schoeppel, 
chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Monopoly of the Senate Select 
Committee on Small Business, Al- 
bert Hanson, L.A. area theatreman, 
charged Schoeppel with conduct 
“unbecoming a public official” in a 
blistering letter addressed to the 
solon early this week. 

Schoeppel asserted in the press 
that Hanson, chairman of the South- 
ern California Theatre Owners 
Assn.’s trade relations committee, 
had used “half-truths,” “actual mis- 
statements of fact” and “complete 
falsehood” in offering to the sub- 
committee the case of the small ex- 
hibitor. 

Particularly incensing Hanson 
was the fact he has never received 
a copy of the Schoeppel letter, re- 
portedly running to more than 
3,000 words, in which the sena- 
tor denied there was any proof of 
monopoly in the film industry. Han- 
son makes it plain that his reply 
to the “mystery” letter, which had 
jt>een extensively quoted in the 
press, has been mailed to the sena- 
tor. Hanson’s reply noted 'that the 
senator “must appreciate the dif- 
ficulty one would have in answer- 
ing a letter that has never been 
received.” 


numoer oi suDjccts of various I L .°?P ma wagers point out 

lengths. Deal also involves the pro J hat if a mc ™ or dime is charged 
duction in Israel of 26 half-hour {o L CU J h P arkl "« al nl * ht the effect 

film stories of the Old Testament ?’ in b * !? ra , lse sl T goi u g C0RtS 
for general and educational distri- for add hional people who now 
bution. i mana *e to avoid the parking ramps 

and lots with their charges of 25c 
to 50c and more. 

Herb Golden, Bankers Trust Co. i It would hurt downtown theatre 
assistant v.p , leaves N. Y. today patronage already handicapped by 
• Wed. i for the Coast. Will visit high admissions plus 20c streetcar 
Edward Small and other BT pro- fares and auto parking problems 
ducer clients. • J and costs, they believe. 


Title* for Corkery, Maas 

Robert Corkery and Irving Maas 
were elected vicepresidents of the 
Motion Picture Export Assn, at a 
meeting of the MPEA board in 
N. Y. yesterday tTues.). Move 
came at the suggestion of MPEA 
prexy .Eric Johnston. 

Corkery is the MPEA homeof- 
fice exec in charge of Latin 
America. He’s currently on his 
way to the film festival in Monte- 
video, Uruguay. Maas, who headed 
up the MPEA when it was an ac- 
tive distribution unit in the Iron 
Curtain countries and the occupied 
areas, is now MPEA exec in charge* 

1 of the Far East. j 


2d Cinerama Using Revised Gear 


Hazard Reeve* Disclose* Technical Changes and 
Remaining Problems of Medium 


Behaviour Overseas 

Warner Bros, international 
department has devised a new 
manual which, in essence, is a 
•local foreign manager’s guide 
book on “how to live and con- 
duct an American film com- 
pany’s business abroad.” 

It- covers every phase of 
branch operation in a foreign 
country, including corporate 
structure, premises, legal prob- 
lems, handling of cash, prints, 
personnel, advertising and 
publicity. It’s a loose leaf book 
so that new directives from the 
N. Y. office can be added. 


War Chest Next 
Step in Fight 
Against Toll 

With the exhibitors’ Joint Com- 
mittee on Toll-tv now officially on 
record before the Federal Com- 
munications Commission as oppos- 
ing Zenith's “Joint Substitute Pe- 
tition Concerning Subscription 
Television.” the theatres are now’ 
faced with the twin problem of 
public relations and finance. 

Both subjects are to be aired at 
a meet of the Joint Committee in 
N.Y. Jan. 19 and 20, at W’hieh time 
the mattef of general strategy in 
future proceedings also will be 
taken up. 

A prominent exhibition leader 
vitally concerned with toll-tv ad- 
mitted last week that the mere 
filing of a protest with the FCC 
was far from sufficient. “Our big- 
gest job is to convince the FCC 
that we aren’t acting strictly to 
serve our own ends,” he said. "We 
w’ill have to try and eliminate the 
stigma of speaking out in pure 
selfishness.” 

Question of how the exhibs will 
finance their fight against an as 
yet non-operating enemy looms 
large at the moment. Theatre Own- 
ers of America committee was to 
have met on the subject last week, 
but didn’t. It’s understood that 
there had been some discussion of 
soliciting COMPO for the neces- 
sary funds, and that this had been 
given sympathetic consideration 
by COMPO officials. Plans fell 
through, however, when the law- 
yers got into the act. 

Sidelight, too. is that Paramount 
is a COMPO member. With Par 
sponsoring Telemeter, COMPO’s 
financial support would in fact 
have Par backing a fight against 
itself. No accurate estimate is 
available from exhib spokesmen of 
just how much coin would be re- 
quired to carry on the anti-toll-tv 
fight. 

Meanwhile, Skiatron Electronics 
& TV Corp. prexy Arthur Levey 
disclosed that Skiatron engineers 
had inaugurated uhf tests over 
WGTH-TV in the Hartford, Conn., 
area. Some 235.000 uhf converters 
are installed in Hartford and vicin- 
ity. The Skiatron petition before 
the FCC. filed by Skiatron-TV 
• Matthew Fox>, proposes authoriza- 
tion of a pay-as-you-see system 
limited for the first three years 
to uhf stations only. This is oppos- 
ed by the Zenith petition. 


WAITER WANGER'S LINE-UP 


Roll Three for Allied — Jamaica 
Project Pends 


Walter Wanger launches a three- 
picture program for Allied Artists 
with start of “Body Snatchers” in 
February. He follows this with 
"Yellow Knife” and “Mother, Sir,” 
latter to be lensed in Japan. 

Producer may also engage later 
in year in Jamaican production. 
He’s agreed to join Gordon Knox, 
now associated with the Princeton 
«N. J.) Film Center and formerly 
with him here as an assistant some 
years ago, in a project calling for 
several films to be made in the 
Caribbean. Knox is partnered with 
Martin Jones and Henry Olmsted, 
and Jamaican interests, in the Ja- 
maica Film Centre Ltd. in King- 
ston. 


Complete realignment to new 
standards in both the taking and 
projection equipment has been ef- 
fected for Cinerama’s second pro- 
duction, “Cinerama Holiday,” 
which opens in a number of thea- 
tres next month. The employment 
of improved cameras and projec- 
tion machines was revealed by 
Hazard Reeves, prexy of Cinerama 
Inc., the equipment manufacturing 
company. 

Reeves disclosed that the photo- 
graphic speed of the Cinerama 
camera had been substantially in- 
creased and an inaccuracy in the 
placement of the projection lenses 
had been improved. The changes, 
according to Reeves, are such that 
prints of the current “This Is Cine- 
rama” cannot be shown on the ad- 
justed projection equipment. As 
a result, the old standards will con- 
tinue to be used in all theatres 
showing “This Is Cinerama” and 
adjustments will be made for the 
exhibition of “Cinerama Holiday.” 

The new improvements, accord- 
ing to Reeves, will do a great deal 
toward cutting down the jumping 
of the different segments of Cine- 
rama’s unique three-panel system. 
However, he admitted that the un- 
steadiness of the picture will not 
be completely eliminated. He 
blamed this on the printing method 
which he termed “the only weak- 
ness so far.” The problem in 
printing, he said, had been in- 
herited from the old standards of 
the motion picture industry which 
had never been “tight.” 

“We’ve been working with Tech- 
nicolor on the improvement of the 
printing in order to eliminate the 
jumping,” Reeves said. “We 
haven’t come around to controlling 
it yet. We’re experimenting at 
our own Oyster Bay studio, and, 
it necessary, we’ll do our own 
printing. We expect before the 
year’s out virtually to preclude the 
existing technical problems of 
color matching and unsteadiness 
of picture. Once you’ve introduced 
a new process, the next step is to 
improve what you’ve got. We’ve 
made great progress with the ex- 
ception of laboratory controls.” 

Clarifies Costs 

Reeves said that he would like 
to clear up the misunderstanding 
relating to the cost of equipping 
for Cinerama. “My concept of 
the process,” he said, “is that it’s 
one used to the best of our knowl- 
edge in presenting projection and 
sound without economic compro- 
mise. I feel strongly that the en- 
tertainment of tomorrow' should 
take advantage of the science of 
projection and sound to put on a 
better show and create reality for 
the public. If we compromise on 
a one lens system, we take away 
what Cinerama is. We came to 
the conclusion that the only way 
we can now achieve the wide an- 
gle vision of 146 degrees is by us- 
ing three lenses. And Cinerama's 
system of seven-track dimensional 
sound is the closest to perfection. 
We’re striving to get better photog- 
raphy, better color resolution, and 
better sound without compromising 
on cost.” 

Returning to a discussion of 
Cinerama projection. Reeves said 
“we still feel we can do better. 
The objective is still a perfect 
presentation of picture and sound 
that is virtually equal to a live 
show. 

“We know there’s no one-projec- 
tor system that can come close to 
Cinerama photography. We have 
been experimenting, but w e haven’t 
found the answer yet. The public 
may accept a compromise, but any- 
thing short of perfection is wrong.” 

The engineer-executive said he 
welcomed the competition of the 
new Todd-AO process which has 
been described as similar to that 
of Cinerama. “It’s up to the public 
to decide,” said Reeves. “There’s 
plenty of roonrt for a number of 
car manufacturers and there should 
be for several processes in the mo- 
tion picture industry. I welcome 
all improvements in the motion 
picture industry.” He said it was 
never Cinerama’s objective to com- 
pete with CinemaScope or Vista 
Vision which he feels are mass 
media. Cinerama, he said, w ill not 
be shown in more than 100 thea- 
tres throughout the world and 
“that’s many years off.” 






A NEW WORLD OF MOTION PICTURES 



Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


fi 

MOTION PICTURE 1 HIGH FIDELITY 


A STATEMENT BY BARNEY BA LA BAN 


It is important at this time, I believe, to review what Paramount's 
development of the Horizontal VistaVision Camera means— and 

* 

will continue to mean— to exhibitors in terms of increased theatre admissions 
and to the future of our industry. 

% 

Paramount’s first VistaVision picture, WHITE CHRISTMAS, has now 
played widely to solid top grosses, in many cases to all-time record-breaking 

I * • 

results. ' 

a» 1 ; , 

• .* • . 

More important — WHITE CHRISTMAS proves the wisdom of 

* 

Paramount’s policy as regards the Wide Screen. 

. ✓ • • 

. . s . - 

From the start our Company was unwilling to rush into adopting any 
Wide Screen system technically not yet perfected and which would place an 
undue economic burden on our customer, the exhibitor. 

With faith in our Studio’s fine scientific department, Y. Frank Freeman 
and I authorized expenditures of several millions of dollars in the efforts to 

*■* t *<• -4 Y a I « w r 

develop to perfection a system of photography and projection which would 
furnish to exhibitors everywhere the best photographed pictures in the ideal 
2-to-l proportion on the largest possible screen at the least possible expense 
to the theatres. 








. . •'<> ■;¥* 4 % > 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 








m 






The results, beyond our fondest dreams, are: a*. «. *> 

... • * ■"W" 8 %> jr - 

The Horizontal VistaVision Camera — and the complete conversion of our 
Studio to this system. 

Ten VistaVision pictures already completed. 

A few weeks ago, the top executives of our worldwide sales and adver- 

« ^ 

tising departments came to Hollywood and viewed these ten productions. 

1 * % , i 

They were extremely enthusiastic over what they saw. So eager were they 
to spread the proof of the outstanding values in these pictures and of the 
amazing merits of the Horizontal VistaVision Camera, that they urged the 
Studio to prepare a Special Film containing the highlights of the pictures. 

Running 20 minutes, this Special Film is nearing completion and is titled: 


Paramount Presents 


MOTION PICTURE 1 HIGH FIDELITY 

A Product Featurette 


We are arranging trade showings of this film for exhibitors and will sub- 
sequently furnish prints, without charge y to theatres for the entertainment of 
their audiences. 

I sincerely believe that this is a most important film. I think that, seeing 
it, you will visualize for the first time A New World In Motion Pictures and 
its vast potentialities. I am confident that, having seen it, you will agree that 
the real technical and financial future of our industry rests upon the ulti- 


mate photographing and projecting of motion 

• i Jl!jl & *yi ■' I t { !j ,♦ ». i t .1 

pictures standardized on the principles or the 

HORIZONfAt CAMERA. 

. * .. . -V . » f 




: i\ 

Jl 


■i 






m 


President , Paramount Pictures Corporation 




I 






Wednesday, January 12, 1955 



Paramount Presents 



MOTION PICTURE 



A Product Featurette 


The exciting scope and lifelike clarity of VistaVision, the 
ideal system of photography and projection, will be seen in this 
featurette, comprising 20 minutes of highlights from 

Paramount’s 

First 10 Attractions in VistaVision 


—ALL IN COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR 


Irving Berlin’s 

WHITE CHRISTMAS 
STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND 
RUN FOR COVER 

Alfred Hitchcock’s 

TO CATCH A THIEF 
THE FAR HORIZONS 


Hal Wallis’ 

3 RING CIRCUS 
MAND WE'RE NO ANGELS 

THE SEVEN LITTLE FOYS 

Alfred Hitchcock’s 

THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY 

it <0 « \ I V t * 

LUCY GALLANT 


Now Available! The First Paramount Short in VistaVision 

VISTAVISION VISITS NORWAY 

color by Technicolor 
Other VistaVision Shorts In Preparation 



Wednesday* Jannary 12, 195S 


PICTURES 15 


Amusement Stock Quotations 

fiV.Y. Stock Exchange) 

For Week Ending Tuesday (11) 









Net 

1954-’55 

Weekly Vol.Weekly 

Weekly 

Tues. 

Change 

Hi eh 

Low 

In 100s 

High 

Low 

Close 

for wreh 

25*4 

14 Vi 

Am Br-Par Th 

538 

24*4 

227* 

24% 

+ % 

88% 

41% 

CBS, “A" . . . 

57 

85% 

79 

84% 

+47k 

83 

4 1% 

CBS, “B" . . . 

31 

85 

80 

84*4 

4*3 

34% 

19*4 

Col. Pix 

103 

34 

31 

33% 

+ % 

18% 

9% 

Decca 

309 

16 

14% 

15% 

+ 44 

74*4 

46*4 

Eastman Kdk. 

197 

73% 

69 

71% 

4-1% 

22 

13' * 

Loew’s 

841 

21% 

19% 

20*4 

+ 1 

10’$ 

6% 

Nat. Thea. . . 

326 

10% 

9% 

9 7 g 


40” « 

26' a 

Paramount . . 

182 

39*4 

36 

37*4 

4- 44 

39' a 

28 

Philco 

146 

39 

36% 

37*4 

-f % 

40" a 

22% 

RCA 

1101 

40% 

36*4 

38% 

4- % 

8% 

2% 

RKO Piets. . . 

102 

8 

7 

7% 

4- 3 4 

10% 

2 

RKO Thea. . . 

36 

9*4 

9 

9*4 

4- % 

7> 4 

3 

Republic . . . 

655 

7% 

6 

7% 

4* '’4 

14*4 

10% 

Rep., pfd. . . . 

25 

14% 

13*4 

14*4 

4- % 

2o* a 

11% 

Stanley War. 

142 

20% 

19% 

19*4 

+ % 

31% 

13*» 

30th-Fox .... 

524 

31*8 

27% 

30% 

4-2% 

32 1 4 

18% 

Univ. Pix. . . . 

47 

31 

29 

30% 

4- 

85*4 

63*4 

Univ., pfd...' 

►200 

85*4 

84% 

85 

— — 

21% 

13% 

Warner Bros. 

154 

20 

18% 

19% 

4- % 

96 

63% 

Zenith 

55 

93 

87% 

90*4 

4-2*4 



American Stock Exchange 



6 

3% 

Allied Artists 

124 

5% 

4% 

5% 

4- % 

11% 

9*4 

Ail'd Art., pfd. 

100 

11*4 

10*4 

11*8 

4- % 

16% 

9% 

Du Mont .... 

154 

15% 

13*4 

14% 

4- % 

16V4 

11*4 

Technicolor . 

222 

15% 

14% 

14% 

4- Vi 

3% 

2% 

Trans-Lux . . . 

28 

37s 

3% 

3% 

— % 



Over-the-Counter Securities 








Kid 

Ask 


Capitol Records 



. 13% 

14 

4- % 

Chesapeake Industries 



. 4% 

5% 

4- % 

Cinerama Inc 



4 

* 

2-2 

4- •** 

Cinerama Prod 



. 4*4 

5% 

4- % 

Official Films' 



. 2 % 

3% 

— 

Polaroid . . . 




, 4 8 

5 2 

— Vi 

Skiatron 




3 

3% 

— 

U. A. 

Theatres 

1 • -0 • • • • 


. 17 

18% 

4" 1 

Walt Disney 

>... 



, 23 

24% 

— lVi 


(Quotations furnished by Dreyjus A Co.i 


* Actual volume. 


DISNEY 30% GAIN 
FOR $733,852 NET 

Representing a 30% gain, Walt 
Disney Productions had a net profit 
of $733,852, equal to $1.12 per 

share on 652.840 common shares 
outstanding, for the fiscal year 
ended last Oct. 2. Previous year 
brought earnings of $510,426, or 
79c a share. 

Gross income climbed to $11,- 
641,408, a jump of $3,275,547 over 
the preceding year. Roy Disney 
president, points out in the com- 
pany’s annual report, however, that 
the gross figures are not normal 
comparisons since Disney in the 
last year handled its own feature ! 
distribution. Previously, HKO re- 
leased the Disney product and 
consequently shared in the gross. ; 

Commenting on the organiza- 
tion’s tv activities, the prez stated: 
“We have embraced television not 
only for itself and its possibilities, 
but also to exploit and sell our mo- 
tion picture product. While we 
expect to make a profit from tele- 
vision sales, such profit will not be 
great. Our real gain will be in the 
marketing value to our motion pic 
lures, which are still our primary 
business.” 


Treasury Bias Versus Films Alleged 


Johnston Argues Tax Interpretation Harms Foreign 
Investments ($100,000,000) of U. S. Pix Biz 


Six Amusement Stocks Hit Peak 


Market Generally Hurt by Heavy Selling But Film 

Shares Strong 


Wall Street roared into the new 
year with the highest prices in 12 
months, but on Monday, Jan. 3. the 
market hit an air pocket and went 
into a nosedive continuing into 
Wednesday and Thursday trading. 
Boosting of margin requirements 
from 50 to 60% touched ofT the 
selling after stocks had given every 
hint of being “tired.” Report that 
a Congressional committee might 
probe the soaring stock prices 
added fuel to the burning barn 
“after the horse was stolen.” 
Through all the selling, most of 
the Amusement Group gave a 
fairly good account of itself, with 
some six stocks actually hitting 
new highs. 

Investment buying, aided by 
short covering in Friday’s session, 
brought a spectacular rally that 
day. This erased about 42% of the 
tvo-day loss, and hinted that the 
higher margin requirement and 
talk of a market probe were more 
of an excuse than actual reason for 
the heavy selling. Obviously, the 
market was vulnerable to such a 
setup since a sharp reaction had 
beer, long overdue Whether the 
main selling had run its course un- 
doubted^ will be cleared up this 
votk. Many in the Street could 
sci! little basic change in economic 
conditions, with the feeling that 
inflationary tendencies still per- 
sisted. 

Film and theatre shares had 
been marked up sharply the latter 
Part of December in anticipation 
of increased grosses over the year- 
<fr >d. Such business showed up in 
Jpades. but the boxoflice started 
to dwindle per usual early in 
January, 

Announcement of the first com- 
mon dividend in its history by Re- 
P'toiic rallied the common stock 
day to a fresh peak of $7 for a 
net of 50c. on the weep. Com- 
pany declared a 5% slock divvy on 
tne.se shares, payable in April. The 
' 1 P pr year on the preferred has 
b'en maintained for a long time. 

Score New Highs 

°ther new highs for the group 
'/no Columbia Pictures common, 
Rational Theatres, RCA, Trans- 

nv nrd Universal preferred. Last- 
named went to 85%, the clos- 


ing quotation for these shares. 
Just how this Amusement Group 
resisted the giant selling waves is 
shown by the fact that 16 of the 25 
issues shown losses of less than a 
point, five sporting plus signs and 
one was unchanged. 

General Precision Equipment 
announced that it has acquired 
97% of the stock of Griscom- 
Russell Co., a leading manufac- 
turer of heat transfer equipment 
and water purifiers for the oil, 
power and chemical industries as 
well as naval and merchant ships. 
This is a far cry from GPE’s in- 
itial sole interest in the film and 
radio-tv business but indicates how 
far the company has extended its 
diversification. The company’s 
stock was off fractionally on the 
week after being down to less than 
46 since selling off with other high- 
priced issues. 

20th-Fox, which recently went 
into new high ground at 3014, 
slipped below' 28 at one juncture 
to wind up with a loss of 134. It’s 
reported that recent interest in 
these shares, aside from earnings 
from C’Scope pix, stems from in- 
sider reports that a third oil well 
has been brought in on the cor- 
poration’s studio property in Hol- 
lywood. It was reported that some 
were convinced 20th-Fox now had 
the makings of a real oil field, with 
even 500 barrels daily representing 
better than $1,000 income per day 
for each well. There were also 
indications that 20th-Fox would 
show net earnings per share this 
past year of nearly twice the 
amount distributed in regular divi- 
dends during 1954. 

Paramount, which had hit a new- 
’54 peak of 40* a on the basis of 
high-grossing pix, slipped to 37 
lale in the week to show a net loss 
of 2%. ABC-Paramount Theatres, 
which went to a high of 25% In 
recent weeks, also dipped but man- 
aged to wind up a* 237'ae, where it 
was down 1%. High-flying CBS 
shares tumbled, the Class A sagg- 
ing 4*4 on the week while the “B” 
was down 5*4. 

National Theatres and Stanley 
Warner were remarkably success- 
ful in going against the trend, both 
showing minor fractional losses 
Same was true of Universal com- 
mon. Skiatron also stood firm, 
being unchanged with a hid of $3. 
Locw’s was off 1 1 2 after its recent- 
ly established high of 22. 


Introduce Bills 
. Cutting B.O. Tax 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Despite warning by President 
Eisenhower that he will oppose 
any further tax reductions this 
year, several bills have been in- 
troduced in the House to reduce or 
eliminate the 10% admissions bite. 

Rep. Gordon McDonough, of LA, j 
has offered three bills. One would j 
exempt motion picture theatres | 
from any admissions tax. A second 
would exempt benefits for re- 
ligious. educational and charitable 
organizations. Third would ex- 
i empt admissions to historic 
shrhies and sites. 

Rep. Victor Wickersham. of 
Oklahoma, has lulls to eliminate j 
: all wartime admissions rate in- ; 
creases, all admissions taxes, and j 
all taxes on motion pictures and 
other events where the admissions 
price is less than 60 cents. 


JOHNSTON TRYING ANEW 
FOR NEAR EAST PACT 

Eric Johnston, in his capacity 
as President Eisenhower’s special 
ei.voy, is skedded to leave for the 
Middle East Jan. 22 in another 
attempt to mediate differences be- 
tween Israel and her Arab neigh- 
bors. 

The Motion Picture Export Assn, 
prexy is due to attend an MPEA 
hoard meet in N. Y. next Fri- 
day 1 1 4 

Kirk Douglas 
Packages Own 

Kirk Douglas will package his 
own production in a deal set with 
United Artists over the past week. 
Under the pact, the actor is to 
handle all the business aspects — 
signing of producers, directors, 
performers, etc. — of six pictures to 
be made for UA release. 

The distribution company will 
finance the product and holds var- 
ious approval rights. The six-film 
deal is with Bryna Productions, 
headed by Douglas. 

First two properties already are 
set. both to star Douglas. These 
are “Viking Raiders” to be direct- 
ed by Richard Fleischer and “Van 
Gogh” with Jean Negulesco as di 
rector. 


CHICAGO TAX TABULATIONS 


Indicate Substantial Rise In 
Admissions Over 1953 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

City theatre and amusement tax 
collections here for the month of 
December. 1954. and total collec- 
tions for the year 1954 are up con- 
siderably w hen compared with cor- 
responding figures for December. 
1953 and for the year 1953. Theatre 
taxes collected by the city for De- 
cember. 1954. totalled $107,109 com- 
pared with $95,987 for the same 
month of 1953. , 

Amusement tax collections for 
the month were $163,088 contrast- 
ed with $171,834 in 1953. However, 
total city amusement taxes col- 
lected in 1954 were $1,916,495 as 
against $1,800,259 in 1953. Thea- 
tre taxes collected in 1954 totalled 
$1,203,243 compared with $1,044,- 
414 in 1953. Increase presumably 
reflect bigger b.o.’s reported 
throughout the industry. 


Lichtman Tightens 20th’s 
Sales Staff Liaison In 
C’Scope’s Second Wind 

Closer liaison with the exhibs 
was urged on 20th-Fox division 
managers in N. Y. last week (7) by 
A1 Lichtman, 20th director of dis- 
tribution. He called on his sales 
execs to mobilize the staff to carry 
through on that thought which 
Lichtman himself has enunciated 
frequently in recent months. 

Lichtman also told the sales pow- 
wow he expected to see some 125 
releases in the CinemnScope me- 
dium to come from the majors and 
the indies during this year, and he 
stressed the extent to which 
C’Scope has cauRht on worldwide, 
with 13,500-global installations re- 
ported and 17,000 expected by 
March. In the U« S. alone, the 
more than 10.000 equipped houses 
provide CinemaScope films with 
some 9.300 possibilities, i.e., houses 
that any one pic can play. 

Discussions at the two-day sales 
meet centered primarily around 
the new product, its merchandising 
and promotion. 20th has 10 pix 
skedded for release through April, 
eight of them in C’Scope and color 
and two in standard, including one 
tinter. Joining in with Lichtman 
were Charles Einfeld, ad-pub v.p.; 
W. C. Gehring, exec assistant gen- 
eral sales manager; Arthur Silver- 
stone, assistant general sales man- 
ager; Alex Harrison, western sales 
manager, and Glenn Norris, east- 
ern sales manager. 


6 Reasons For The Stoek Upenrve 

[During 1954] 

By MIKE WEAR 

Wall Street was bullish in 1954, with the result that stocks In 
numerous groups soared in a boiling stock market. And amuse- 
ment shares early showed they w'ere going to participate in this 
tremendous upswing. Statisticians in pinpointing just why film 
and film theatre shares (as well as radio-tv issues) soared, reached 
the following conclusions: 

Firstly, various widescreen developments (with variations of 
third-dimensional effects) came into their own at the wickets. In 
particular, this spelled high grosses for 20th-Fox and higher stock 
quotations, which subsequently spilled over to other companies 
which turned out C’Scope pix, and in the sock payoff for first 
VistaVision pic, "White Christmas.” 

Secondly, removal of the 10% Federal tax was reflected at the 
boxoflice about six months after the cut was placed in effect. 

Thirdly, the film biz witnessed the minimization of the television 
threat. This meant the perceptible return of lost cinema audiences, 
which in turn restored confidence. 

Fourthly, the launching of C’Scope pix and VistaVision enabled 
exhibitors to up admission prices, making for higher grosses. 

Fifthly, and some would argue firstly, was the upbeat in product 
quality. Producers strained to turn out smashes. 

Perhaps a sixth favorable influence was a clarification of the 
divorcement setup. 


Washington, Jan. 11. 

Motion pictures should be in- 
cluded among the industries rec- 
ommended to receive a 14% tax 
credit on their investment earn- 
ings abroad, Treasury Department 
was urged last week. 

Request was made in a letter by 
Eric Johnston as president cf the 
Motion Picture Export Association. 
Legislation to provide the 14% 
credits, but not for motion pic- 
tures, was killed in Congress last 
year, and will be reintroduced 
shortly by the Administration. 

Johnston, writing to Dan Throop 
Smith. Assistant to the Secretary 
of the Treasury, charged films are 
discriminated against. He said 
films with an investment of over 
$100,000,000 in plant and equip- 
ment and 'with 30,000 employees 
overseas, is excluded, whereas for- 
eign offices of air transport sys- 
tems and branches of U S. banks 
ere permitted to benefit under the 
proposed legislation. 

“To compare these investments 
and operations (of Hollywood* with 
a branch bank or an airline ticket 
office in a single large city of some 
foreign country is utterly unreal- 
istic.” Johnston wrote. “I earnest- 
ly hope that a greater awareness 
of the exact nature of our business 
and of our problems will be mani- 
fested in proposing again a 14- 
point tax credit on foreign invest- 
ment earnings. 

“In order to sell American films 
abroad, the motion picture indus- 
try must sink down deep roots and 
engage tn substantial and signifi- 
cant economic activity in every 
country in which it does business. 

"Our current investment in plant, 
equipment, technical laboratories, 
leaseholds, and service and other 
facilities abroad is in . excess of 
$100.000 000. Our industry last 
year had more than 30,000 persons 
on its payroll in 40 (foreign* coun- 
tries and paid out in local wages, 
rents, services and taxes in excess 
of $65 000.000. 

“We know that our activity 
abroad Is highly regarded by peo- 
ple in our government responsible 
for maintaining our nation’s 
friendly relations; we know that 
we willingly and gladly undertake 
activities at our own cost to ad- 
vance policies and programs of our 
Government. We think these things 
should be taken into consideration 
in judging the unique nature of 
the motion picture industry both 
in making investments abroad and 
in contributing to the national in- 
terests of our country.” 


Over-Assessed by Cily, 

Is Basis of Theatre Plea 

Schenectady. Jan. 11. 

Claiming an estimated S2.742.000 
in excessive assessments, over a 
period of more than a dozen years, 
on the buildings housing the State 
and Erie theatres (adjoining), and 
on Proctor’s and the Plaza, the 
city’s four downtown houses, 
lessees of the former and owners 
of the latter have started proceed- 
ings against the municipality. 

One claim was filed by the estate 
of William W. Farley, co-developer 
of Albany’s Filmrow, and by George 
H. C. Farley, his older son and 
Albany realty operator, on the 
State and Liberty Sts. structure 
encompassing the State and Eric. 
The late Farley leased it, under 
terms of which he agreed to pay 
the taxes on the property. The son 
took over following the death of 
the father. The claims for tax re- 
funds cover 1936 and the years 
from 1942 to 1955. 

The Fabian Operating Corp. and 
the Copia Realty Corp. seek re- 
funds on the Proctor Theatre and 
on the Plaza, both located on 
Schnectady’s main business street. 
Copia assumed ownership of the 
properties in 1948. Its and the 
other Fabian company’s claim of 
refunds are from 1952 through 
1955. 

Referee Hyman W. Sevits, Schen- 
ectady attorney, adjourned a hear- 
ing on the actions to Thursday 
(13) at the county courthouse. 

Petitioners are represented by 
Charles L. Drake and Richard A. 
Graham, Jr., Albany attorneys, who 
have acted in tax refund proceed- 
ings for theatres and other prop- 
erty owners in that city. 


16 


IXTERXATIOXAL 


'VARIITY'r LONDON OFPICI 
• It. Martin'* Pile*, Tr«f«l*«r t*wir* 



West End Holiday Week Biz Spotty; 
Circus’ Sock 10G, This Paris’ Hot 
8G, ‘Brides’ 19G, Cinerama’ 17G, 13th 


London. Jan. 4. 

West End firstrun situations got 4 
off to a mixed start over the holi- 
day period. The cold spell which 
began at the end of the week is 
likely to affect biz in the immedi- i 
ate future. ^ 

"3-Ring Circus” looks standout 
newcon'er at the Plaza where its 1 
sock. First round of "So This Is 1 
Paris” is lively at Leicester Square. • ' 

It was the best week yet lor l 
"Cinerama” at the Casino, the 13th 
frame hitting smash $17.000 — or 1 
better. "Seven Brides” looms great 
at the Empire on second week. 

"Lilacs in Spring” disappointed 
at the London Pavilion. "Long John 
Silver” is way below hopes at both 
the Carlton and the Odeon. Marble 
Arch for third week at *" 'Garden of 
Evil” is just okay in second round 
at Rialto. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Carlton '20th) 1 1 .128: 55-SI TO* — 
“Long John Silver” <20th) »3d wk*. | 
Modest $3,000 after $3,600 in third. 
"Woman's World" <20th opens 
Jan. 13. 

Casino « Indie) <1.337: 70-S2.15 1 — 
"Cinerama” 'Robin) c 1 3th wk). Best 
ever here, with smash $17,000 or 
better. 

Empire *M-G <3 099; 55-$l 70' — 
"7 Brides for 7 Brothers” <M-G> 2d 
wk>. Heads for sockeroo $19,000 or 
more after $22,000 opening frame. 
Stavs. natch! 

Gaumont «CMA> <1.500; 50-$1.70> 
— “Svengali” (Renown) <2d wk*. 
Looks like fair $5,000. Last week. 
$ 6 , 200 . 

Leicester Square Theatre <CMA) 

<1.753; 50-$ 1.70)— "This Is Paris” 
<GFD) and "Destry” <GFD>. Lively 
$8 000 or close. 

London Pavilion <UA) '1.217: 50- 
$1.70) — “Lilacs in Spring” 'Rep* 
(2d wk*. Moderate $3,000 or near 
after $4,300 opener. 

Odeon. Leicester Square 'CM A' 
<2 200; 50-S1.70I— "One Good Turn” 
<GFD) and "Under Southern Cross” i 
<GFD) <3d wk>. Fine at around 
$6,000 after $6,900 in second 
"Bridges at Toko-Ri” 'Par) proems 
Jan. 6. 

Odeon Marble Arch <20th' 2 200: 
50-S1.70' — "Long John Silver” 

< 20th ) <3d wk). Fini«*' ‘ g current 
run at around S3 600. s!o. . Second 
frame was $4,400. 

Plaza 'Par) (1.092; 70-51.70*— "3- 
Ring Circus” 'Par*. Sock $10,000 
or near. Holds for second week, 
with “To Paris With Love” GFD> 
opening Jan. 13. 

Rialto (LFP) <592; 50-S1.30 — 
"Garden of Evil” • 20th ) '2d wk'. 
Okav $3 000. First week was 
$4 200. 

Ritz <M-G) <432; 50-81.70 — 

"Belles of St. Trinians” <BL> 2d 
wk>. Oke $2,500 or close. Holds. 

Warner <WB) <1.725; 50-S1.70' — 
"Drum Beat” <WB* '2d wk'. Head- 
ing for smash $12,500. Last week. 
$14,000. 

‘Xmas’ Ace Aussie Pic 
For Yuletide Holidays; 

5 C’Scopers Standout 


Sydney. Jan. 4. 

Current film bonanza Down Un- 
der is headed by “White Christ- 
mas” <Par). with the past Yuletide 
being of boom proportions. 

“Christmas.” got a blanket re- 
lease in all the major spots except 
Perth. It's playing two theatres 
dav-and-date at the Prince Edward 
and Capitol here; ditto Melbourne 
(State and Kings*: and at the Bris- 
bane Wintergarden. Adelaide's Ma- 
jestic. Newcastle’s Strand and Ava- 
lon in Hobart. It opened at 
Launceston 'Tasmania) Dec. 31 

Other standout pix are “Three 
Coins in Fountain” <20th> at Syd- 
ney Regent: "Living Desert” 'Dis- 
ney) at the Svdney Paris: "The 
Kidnappers” 'British Empire' at 
the Embassy here and the Mel- 
bourne Odeon « 10th week 1 : "Ma 
And Pa Kettle In Waikiki” U* at 
Brisbane Tivoli; “Seven Brides” 
<M-G> at Brisbane. Adelaide and 
at Perth Metro. 

There are three 20th-Fox Cine- 
maScopers current "Broken Lance” 
<20th* at Brisbane Regent; "The , 
Egyptian” <20th) at both the Mel- 
bourne and Adelaide Regents; and 
"Woman’s World” < 20th > at May- 
fair here. "Brides,” and "Coins” 
also are C* Scope rs. 


‘Piper’ Folds in Loudon 
After Less Than Month 

London. Jan. 11. 

The newest of three West End 
revues presented by Laurier Lister , 
folded last weekend < 8 * with the 
withdrawal of “Pay the Piper” 
from the Saville, where it opened I 
Dec. 21. Elsie and Doris Waters 
were the stars. 

Lister's other two revues are 
“Airs on a Shoestring.” which has 
been running at the Royal Court 
Theatre since April, 1953. and 
"Joyce Grenfell Requests the Pleas- 
ure.” which recently transferred to 
the St. Martin's Theatre. It reached 
its 250th performance last week- 
end. 

‘Miller Story’ 

Tops Finn B. 0. 

Helsinki. Jan. 4. 

The fall season here has been 
uneven with only five pictures 
showing real boxoffice draw. The 
import of too many films to Fin- 
land, around 400 yearly, has led 
to confusion with the public, and 
many hopeful entries have failed 
badly. "Knock On Wood” 'Par*, 
“Calamity Jane” tWB) and “Ele- 
phant Walk” 'Par) did not live up 
to hopes. Some of the Cinema- 
Scopers also were on the disap- 
pointing side. 

Of the five successful ones, two 
were American, and they topped 
the list. The big winner was 
"Glenn Miller Story” <U>. still run- 
ning strong into the new year. A 
good second was the Chaplin re- 
: issue of "Modern Times.” Third 
and fourth place were taken by 
two Finnish pictures. "The Story 
of Putkinotko” 'Fennada* ar.d “It 
Happened in November” <SF). 

The 10 best also included two 
more American entries. “Rhap- 
sody” *M-G). sixth, and “Mogambo” 

• M-G) in 10th place. 

$500,000 Uruguay Blaze 
Destroys Films, Radios 

Montevideo. Uruguay. Jan. 4. 

Fire recently destroyed the Ber- 
nardo Glucksmann office building 
and warehouse in the center of the 
city, with loss estimated at around 
$500,000. Lack of water in the 
neighborhood of film distribution 
offices in the building, forced fire- 
men to rush tanks to the nearby 
River Plate and get water that way. 

While the building and contents 
were heavily insured, the policies 
did not include several American 
pix just received for distribution 
and 2.000 radio receivers which 
had been transferred from the Cus- 
toms just before the blaze broke 
out. More than 1.000 film prints 
were destroyed, in addition to pro- 
jection equipment, carbons and 
electrical appliances. Apart from 
the material insured about*$100.000 
worth of film material was de- 
stroyed. 


Bandbox Sydney Arty 
House Gutted by Fire 

Sydney, Jan. 4. 

Damage estimated at $450,000 
was caused when a fire completely 
gutted the Variety Theatre here 
late in December. Only a 287-seat 
late in December. It’s a 287-seat 
house. Only a few feet of film waf 
B^rt Goldsmid, head of Sydney 
Theatres, which operated the Va- 
riety. has announced that the house 
will be rebuilt. Principal loser, be- 
sides the management and staff, 
was Paramount, which had a con- 
tract expiring in March and had 
“About Mrs. Leslie” set for the 
Xmas-New Year trade. 

Arg. Legit Rides Through 
Hazardous Year, ‘Folies’ 
Is Smash Among Imports 


B.O. Boom of Brit. Pix Domestically. 
Tipped By $1,150,000 Upbeat in 17 Wks. 


Ex-UN Rep Plans Film 
On Danish Call Girls 

Copenhagen. Jan. 11. 

After having returned to his 
homeland after five years’ work in 
Hollywood as the United Nations’ 
representative there, Mogens Skot 
Hansen now has signed a contract 
as a producer for Asa Film. Han- 
sen’s first producing venture will be 
“Natlogis betalt,” which will deal 
with half-prostitution 'Danish Call 
Girls) in Copenhagen. Johannes 
Allen is scripting and probably 
Bjarne Henning Jensen will direct. 

Hansen made a name for himself 


Buenos Aires. Jan. 4. 

Argentine legit came through an 
exceptionally hazardous year in 
1954. during which enormous 
slices of coin enriched some box- ( 
offices — notably that of the Paris 
“Folies Bergere” — while in general 
others languished under the lowest 
grosses registered in years. 

Exhibitor Clemente Lococo, who 
converted his Opera film-theatre ; 
to legit for importation of the 
“Folies.” as well as the Cuevas 
and Antonio ballets, recouped some 
five years’ losses as an exhibitor 
• due to government-imposed low 
admission scales', but had so many 
headaches in the bargain, parfi- j 
cularlv with Antonio, that he is al- 
most cured of legit ambitions — 
unless anything in any way com- 
parable to the Folies smash crops 
up in the future. 

, Of some 12 foreign shows which 
visited Buenos Aires in the year, 
only Jean-Louis Barrault, the Pic- ( 
colo Teatro de la Citta di Milano 
and the Dunham Dancers were 
moneymakers, though transporta- 
tion and other costs have left 
little profit for the respective im- 
presarios. 

Alicia Alonso's ballet and a 
series of longhair concerts in the 
Eriberri Organization series took 
in big wads of coin, but other bal- ; 
let importations such as the 
Cuevas. Teresa & Luisillo. Antonio. 
Rosario and Perez-Fernandez, were 
not money-makers. 

Cheesecake shows in general did 
good business, as usual, but in 
May. which is a customarily peak 
entertainment month, some popu- 
1 lar shows had grosses of only $282 
in a night, and the most popular 
(comedian grossed only $761 60. 

Two plays were consistently good 
grossers throughout the season; . 
“Tea and Sympathy” in transla- 
tion at the Odeon Theatre, with 
Elina Colomer and Carlos Cores in 
the leads, and “La Vida en un 
B!ock <"Life in a Block" 1 with Edu- 
ardo Cibrian and Ana Maria Cam- 
poy at the Empire. 


London. Jan. 11. 

The current b.o. boom of British 
films in the domestic market is re- 
flected in the substantially higher 
rentals earned by native product 
in the latter part of last year. In 
the 17 weeks ended last Nov. 27, 
British film rentals soared to a 
total of $6,692,000 as against 
$5,542,000 for the corresponding 
period of 1953. In the 13 weeks up 
to last Oct. 30. British film rentals 
exceeded $5,320,000. a rise of more 
than $1,100,000 for the same quar- 
ter in the preceding year. 

But while they’re gratified at the 
improved earning power of their 
product at the boxoffice. British 
producers are anxious over the de- 
cline in income of the Eadv pool 


in Denmark before the last world j and the , ower rate of distribution 


Too Good With Arrows, 
Partner Hit in Chest 

Bridlington, Eng.. Jan, 1L 

Marie. 22-year-old wife of a 
North American Indian taking part 
in the act of Little Beaver at the 
Spa Theatre, was wounded in the 
chest by an arrow shot by her 
blindfolded husband. Injury was 
painful but not serious. 

In their act. Little Beaver 
throws knives and axes, and then 
shoots arrows from a bow at his 
w ife. Winds by shooting arrows at 
her blindfold while she protects 
herself with a piece of wood held 
in front of her face and chest. This 
particular show, one of the steel- 
tipped arrows shot from about 20 
feet went through a hole in the 
board. 

Audience, cheered, thinking it 
was part of the act. Accident was 


GILLETT PROD. CHIEF 
OF NEW BRITISH TV 

London, Jan. 4. 

Roland Gillett has been named 
production and program chief of 
Associated-Rediffusion. Ltd., the 
recently formed company which is 
to act as program contractor for 
the London area when the new 
commercial web starts next fall. 
Associated-Rediffusion represents a 
combination of forces of Asso- 
ciated Newspapers and Broadcast 
Relay Services. In the recent ap- 
pointment of program contractors, 
it was selected to run the London 
station from Monday to Friday of 
each week. 

Since 1947. Gillett has been 
working on American tv and has 
been associated with “Toast of the 
Town,” ”1 Love Lucky.” “Winner 
Take All” and “Pulitzer Prize 
Play.” Previously he had been 
active in film making both in 
Britain and Hollywood. 

BBC Airs Yank Waxings 

London, Jan. 11. 

Under the title of "Hollywood 
Entertainment,” the BBC Light 
Program last Friday (7> started air- 
ing a series of 13 half-hour record- 
ings by top musical personalities. 

A1 Martino, who recently con- 
cluded an extended vaude tour of 


war by making a new-styled docu- fi xed by the directors of the Brit- 
mentary film. Later he directed a j s fi pji m Production Fund. In the 
musical picture for Asa. first 17 weeks of the Eadv year to 

" Nov. 27, total contributions paid 

.... . 9 • into the Fund were slightly in ex- 

Waa/I IIaaavI cess of 52.316.000 as against over 

if 000) 1/CSvll 1 52.520.000 in the same period of 

p • • In the main, it is recognized that 

Vaava m MotTlC the sharp decline is due to the 
iJvUI C 111 1 ul Id lower rate of contribution fixed for 

film theatres while the new Eady 
Paris. Jan. 4 pact was in negotiation. This re- 
Top vearend grosses of pix. still duced scale was operative for the 
in firstrun as well as those which first 12 weeks, but in the further 
have wound them and now are five weeks there was also a notice- 
plaving the nabes. shape fine. Six able drop in income. In this pe- 
out of 15 are Yank films, while riod the Fund netted $716,000. a 

four were Franco-Italo productions, drgp of nearly $18,000 compared 

U S. hits were "Living Desert” with the same five weeks in 1953. 

• Disney*, now in its 15th week of As a result of the reduced rate 
an extended run; "Modern Times” of income, the distribution to pro- 
<UA» (reissue*, "Knock On Wood” ducers is being calculated at the 
(Par), “Caine Mutiny” 'Col*. “Mo- rate of 26 °o of the distributors 
gambo” 'M-G) and "Demetrius” gross. Last year’s levy added 
'20th'. around 33 f c to the gross of British 

"Desert” grossed $279,000 and is features, 
still going strong. "Times” did 

$221,000. and is now back for an- ‘ftprillfv * Roilfp’ 

other firstrun at the sureseater Le tlWMlJ, IT1UU11U IXUUgC 

Raimu on the Champs Elysees. n_ _ _ n A • Q f 

"Wood” was in for $192,000 and IdCc D.U. ID 0 uemian 

then got solid nabe booking, "De- j n . e inffO P A 

metrius” did $180,000 while "Mo- j ftey ODOIS I0T IJJJ-M 

gambo” grossed $133,000. "Caine” J r n .. . . 

only got S137.000. T . '' , 

„ , „ _ , There were only 12 Hollywood 

French topper was Franco-Italo p j x amon? the fi rs t ioo most suc- 

■ • Le Rouge Et Le Noir 1 The Red C essful grossers in West Germany 
and the Black > w nich is still going during the 1953-54 'Sept. 1. 1953, 
well. Others w^ere "Madame Du thr0 uEh Aug. 31. 1954- season as 
Barry, with Martine Carol; Le corn pjied in this country's eight 
Mouton A Cinq Pattes The Fi\e mos t important key cities. But it 
Legged Sheep '. with Fernandel; %vas an American film, "From Here 
Marcel , Pagnol s Lettres De Mon . c Eternity” <Col», which cap- 
Moulin i < Letters Frorn M> Mill •; tured first spot. Domestic pix con- 

■ ° .^ irt r S Escal .! er .^f mce tinued their upward sw ing and held 
• Service Entrance *. and Raspou- g.j ou t 0 £ jqq S p 0ts during this pe- 

tine” with Pierre Brasseur. rio d 

As during the previous season. 

lira Rparh Ram RiirnQ* - also this time Austria " a s third 

mg. Dcdtll Dai U DUI11N, best nation with nine pictures. 

IT M There ' vere two Franco-Italian pro- 

Dllicners Dliy up noiei auctions one German Austrian and 
Mar del Plata Jan 4 cme German-French coproduction 
i A fire today '4' destroyed the as a5 cne Swedish film among 
70-seat Odeon Theatre at this the first 100. 

Argentine beach resort, one of the . Eternity, the Bnt- 

oldest of the 21 theatres in the city. RonfUlus production, Moulin 
The fire occurred on eve of the ‘ r ®* ease d ln the L. S. by 

opening of “La Vida en un Bloc” United Artists and rated an Amer- 
; 'Carlos Llopis) with the Ana Maria lcan pl< ?’ grabbed second place 
Capoy-Carlos Cibrian Co., all air *on? the grossers. Four Teutonic 
scenery, props and costumes being pl * fo Mowed, 
destroyed. This was one of the ~_ or \ e . , 

few’ hit plays in the metropolis in reached 11th spot. Other succcs < ~ 
1954. and a long run was expected ,.} ar l! c films included Roman 
at the straw hat theatre. .^1° l 1 *?, 3 ' ' Par Salome Col', 

The Tourbillon, the resort's El1 ., «.P. ecaUSe i \°, U 

I most exclusive hotel, operated by ,. n . e . * Mtwn Is Blue 

Pablo Kuscher of the Embassv 'LA' German version », <lst: In* 
.night club in Buenos Aires, has termezzo ' < SR ° ) , ‘ Merry U ldow 
now been sold to the Butchers 1 * Prisoner of Zenda 'M-G , 


I V. «••• wv«v \» » M UUC IUUI Vi 

result of a thousand-to-one chance. Britain, introduced the first pro- 
Performer defied a doctor and gram. Others already booked in- 
went on the stage as usual follow- i elude Nat King Cole and Frank 


I ing the injury. 


I Sinatra. 


! Trade Union, and in future w ill be { 
reserved as a holiday spot at mod- 
erate prices for the families of the 
country’s butchers. 

This is only a small indication 
of how life in the resort has 
changed. Today it is frequented 
more by junketing laborers and 
their families than by wealthy so- 
cialites. 

Record Aussie Ix?git 
Preems on Boxing Day 

Sydney. Jan. 4. 

This city established a modern 
show biz record Dec. 27 'Boxing 
Day observance) with five legit 
openings. The shows are Armand 
Pcrren's "Puss in Boots on Ice” 
j 'Empire matinees* and "Rose Ma- 
rie on Ice” 'nights'; "Cinderella 
i On Ice" (Palladium); "Coconut 
Grove" with English singer David 
; Hughes (Tivoli*; and Peter Scre- 
en’s Puppets 'Royal matinees). 

Tivoli has the panto, "Dick Whit- 
tington.” "Dear Charles” is at the 
| Royal for night performances I 


"Niagara’ 

'Par*. 


(20th) 


’Shane' 


i Venice Pix Fete Still 
Wants to Be No. 1 Show 

Rome. Jan. 4. 

The 16th Venice Film Festival 
will open next Aug. 25 in the 
lagoon city. Decision was made by 
a joint committee of government, 
city and film officials. Meeting de- 
cided to limit the number of pix 
to be presented by each country. 

Regarding the recent Interna- 
tional Federation of Film Produc- 
ers’ decision to alternate recogni- 
tion of competitive fetes, allowing 
Cannes and Venice a prize-giving 
standard only once every two years, 
the committee announced that 
negotiations with the federation to 
allow Venice to retain its yearly 
competitive standard were "devel- 
I oping favorably.” An amicable ar- 
rangement recently was reached on 
the same subject with the Cannes 
1 Festival. 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


17 



UNTAMED 


[) \I)L)Y LONG LFJj b 

The View From Pompey 




WAVE 


tidal 


EMA 


20ths 


Seller 


* NUMBER ONE 
** NUMBER TWO 
*** NUMBER THREE 
**** NUMBER FOUR 


Xto Greatest 







18 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


$2,406,000 Damages Now (1,334,000 


Electric, Kansas City, Kans., Wins Important Victory 
Over Majors as to Clearance 


OUT-OF-COURT 


Monroe Theatre Action Vs. B&K 
Privately Settled 


COURT FORCES SALE 


Kansas City, Jan. 11. 

Huge award of damages by a : , . . . . 

jury to the Electric Theatre, Kan- • Ends Long Bicker Over Goldwyn ® 'J 1 ^ as ^ een 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

A $300,000 triple damage suit 
brought under antitrust laws by 
James Jovan, owrner of the Monroe 
1 Theatre, against the Balaban Si 
Katz and the Publix Great States 
Theatres chains as well as nine 


sas City, Kans., as a result of its 
antitrust suit against six major 
film distributors, was cut drastical- 
ly by Judge Albert A. Ridge in I 


Studio Paraphernalia 


settled out of court. 

The suit w*as being, tried before 
Federal Judge Julius Hoffman and 
-the amount of the settlement was 


Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

.. ...v ~ ... Samuel Goldwyn studios, after 
United States DiTtiict* Court “here more than five years litigation be- undisclosed, 
last week He pared the damages tween its two owners. Goldwyn 

to SI. 334, 000, from the original and Mary Pickford, finally is to be _ >11 . • e m 

, 2 406 ooo. ; b fV s ' un . < !" a ; lowen s Mountain of Woe: 

The shearing was made follow- court order signed (Jan. 7) by , __ — - — - 

ing an agreement in chambers by Superior Judge Paul Nourse di- 
both parties to the suit, and fol- re rting the sale 
lowed a motion by the defendants Miss Pickford s claim to an in- 
who sought a judgment notwith- \ * n stu dio equipment owned 

standing the verdict, a new trial, bv Goldwyn, also was dismissed by 

or an amended judgment. Judge ^ ourse . wh o earlier ruled warrant 

Under antitrust regulations the that fixtures and machinery be- . . warrant 

unaer antitrust regulations ine . ld wvn a i™ 3 .charging forgery, sworn by his 

actual damage figure is trebled. - ongeU to Goldwyn alone. w ife. Larry Cowen, ex-manager of 

and Judge Ridge fixed the basic J Proctor’s Theatre and long-time 

figure at $444 800. He fixed re- n j n . ir » l*. i trusted Fabian employee, had a 

coverable attorneys fees at $100,000 OfOdu I 3Ct fS. ArUluHtlODj j grand larceny charge filed against 

Tl_ l* n . •!« n*JJf a/ i> im at Police Headquarters by his 

1 hat S Mill Kiddle Ul I Widowed, 80-year old mother, Mrs. 

* 'Frances Cowen. She alleged that 

Flhlh IlKhnn Snarl Cowen . some months ago, was 
LAiiiu i/ioiriu jnan | gi Ven $6i000 worth of her jewelryt 

Playing their own version of the to be deposited in a box at Na 


Mother as Well as Wife 
Sues Theatre Manager 

Troy, Jan. 11. 

Already faced with a warrant 


and costs at $9,130. 

The original award by the jury ! 
wa^made Oct. 7, when actual dam- 
ages for tiie plaintiff were stt at 
$802,200. Defendants are RKO, j 
Paramount, Loew’s, .Columbia.! 


Warners and L nited Artists. Him chicken-and-egg game, distributors tional Commercial Bank, Albany, 

InHmlrv nffirisle anH nfhprs ... I , .l . , . , , . , 


industry officials and others close 
to the case here regarded the dam- 
ages as unduly excessive. It was 
believed to he the largest ever 
made in a film industry litigation 
of this type. 

A provision of the decision is 
that RKO and Paramount will 


and exhibitors are trying to figure 
out which comes first — arbitration 
or the proposed exhib-distrib 
roundtable conference. Since Al- 
lied States Assn, wants no part 
of arbitration, it is continuing to 
pitch for an immediate all-indus- 
try confab. Allied prexy Ben Mar- 
jointly pay $113,682, because they cus declared last week that it 
were charged with monopolistic . would be a serious mistake to 
practices for a shorter period than shelve the proposed session until ; 
the other defendants. arbitration is completed. 

The order filed last week Judge | Marcus’ reaction followed a 
Ridge favored the plaintiff, the statement by 20th-Fox distribution 
Electric Theatre operated by W. D. c hief A1 Lichtman to the Effect 
Fu ton, in the matter of injunctive that distribution had decided to 
relief. On the moot points of bid- gj ve f u n concentration to getting 
ding and clearances, he issued this arbitration out of the way before 

or ?m- r: - . . ,, , sitting down for the exhib-distrib 

Neither the licensing, rental meeting. The Allied topper feels 
terms, consecutive days playing ; that a roundtable palaver would 
time, availability nor other ar- point up many of the problems 
rangements for the exhibition of currently faced by theatreowners 
feature pictures in the Electric and wou i d he i p t0 clarify many 
Theatre shall be in any manner points that might be included in 
conditioned, regulated, controlled an arbitration agreement, 
or limited by (the above factors Th , xheatre owners of 

or) the availability of first run America a staunch adv0 cate of 

or Johnson Countv Kans (subur- arbitration, agrees " lth Lichtman Connecticut. The last paper re- 

ban district to the’ southwest). vitw^u^^xDressed 1 l1ist° weekly I p 0 r i ed was C3Shed in Riverhead - 
They shall not permit any bid- X heft ' L 1 E ""*' to D ***“ b ** 

ding system among theatres in that a F rbitr ation is of such import- 
Kansas City, Kans., that does not ance t0 tbe industry that it should 
provide equal opportunity for any have a clear road without the con- 
and all of the bidoers to \iew or | f ere e S being encumbered with 
see the picture before submitting other problems . 


and that instead he “diverted it 
to his own use.” The jewelry is 
insured. 

Mrs. Cowen, an inmate of the 
Jewish Home for the Aged here 
since Cowen disappeared Sept. 4, 
and previously living with Cowen 
*nd his w'ife, Kathleen, at their 
suburban home, was accompanied 
to Police Judge Thomas J. O’Con- 
nor’s chambers by attorney Harold 
V. Lambert son. Ironically, Lam- 
bertson served as » Naval intelli- 
gence officer under Cowen’s com- 
mand during World War II, when 
Cowen, as a lieutenant-commander, 
had charge of the Albany zone of 
Naval intelligence. 

Since disappearing — Cowen told 
his wife he was going to Fabian 
home offices in New York, but 
S. H. Fabian reported he never 
arrived — the theatre manager and 
publicity representative is alleged 
to Troy detectives to have left a 
trail of worthless checks in com- 
munities of Eastern New York, 
Vermont, Massachusetts and 


bids and which does not provide 
equal opportunity for all bidders to 
be present when the bids are 
opened and to inspect the bids 
upon opening. ” 

Judge Ridge also ruled: “Offered 
feature pictures for licensing for 


is accused of passing two rubber 
checks in Williamstown, Mass. 

Location of the towns in which 
the checks have been tendered, 
usually in amounts of $100 each 
and all on the National City Bank 


Expand Overseas 


Continued from page 3 


of Troy, leads police to believe 
Cowen is remaining in the Eastern 
part of the country. How he has 
kept at large, in view of the 
warrants against him, is baffling. 


first run exhibition in the Electric the idea to bring films to areas 
Theatre on an availability no later where 35m films were inaccessible, 
than the earliest availability on Lower print and equipment cost, 
which such pictures are offered for ease of packing and transportation, 
first run exhibition in anv theatre and fireproof films were counted as 
located in the Kansas City film * 16m’s advantages in reaching an 
exchange territory and each of the audience hitherto untouched by 
defendants shall afford fair and 35m films. ... 

reasonable opportunity to plaintiff Loew’s International initial cf- 


Change Loew By-Laws 
To Reflect Consent 

By-laws of Loew’s Inc. have been 
amended to comply with the provi- 
sions of the consent judgment en- 
tered in the Government’s anti- 


to book or exhibit first run exhibi- forts also included surveys of pop- trust su j t on p eb g 1952. 
tion of such feature pictures on ulation distribution and projector Changes, set by the board of di- 

ciiaVi i * o 1 1 o i 1 i i on/1 irit Knirt ra. .TVpilshilitiPS. T t* it 01* 1 Q 1 S31CS .4 _ 4 : — 1 4 ^ 1 . 


pany. It was agreed that no person 
who is a director, officer, agent, 
employee or substantial stockhold- 
er of another film distribution 
company shall be elected an officer 
or director, ef the, company. 


such availability and without re- i availabilities. Territorial sales rectors at a meeting last week, 
quiring or allowing any bidding .managers of the 16m product were mainly con cerns the eligibility of 
or competitive negotiations with or 'brought to the L. S. for periods , d j rec t ors and officers of the com- 
against theatres located in Kansas of training and indoctrination. 

City, Mo., or Johnson County, .Early in the development period. 

Kans.” | Metro established the policy that 

A moot point underlying the en- jno 16m operation could run in di- 
tire case has been first run pic- jrect competition with a regular 
tures for Kansas City, Kans.. '35m theatre. The company has 

where theatres now play 14 days ! rigidly maintained this policy. j In. another change, jn the by- 
after theatres in the bigger nearby * Currently Metro 16m films as j laVts, the hoard approved the pay- 
ment of directors on an annual 
basis instead of on a basis of a fee 
for attendance at each meeting. 
This only applies to directors who 
do not receive compensation from 
the company as officers or em- 
ployees. The new by-law specifical- 
ly nixes payments to directors who 
receive compensation as officers or 
employees. 


citv of Kan c as Citv, Mo. An excep- well as those of other companies 
tion is the Granada Theatre *K. C . are seen throughout the world 
Kans., Fox Midwest operated, from the equator to the tropics, 
which plays first run pictures in a | While it is generally believed that 
day-and-date hook-up with the the 16m market exists only for un- 
Tower and Uptown theatres in developed regions, the fact Is that 
Kansas City, Mo., and the Fairway among the biggest markets for 16m 
Theatre, Johnson County. ! product are Great Britain, France 

The playing situation is expect- and Italy, 
ed to remain status quo for the 
time being, however, as an appeal 
is expected to be made in the case 
and further litigation extend over 
many months. 


'Red Monkey' to AA 

Hollywood., Jan. 11. 

Allied Artists will handle West- 
ern Hemisphere distribution of 
“Case of the Red Monkey.” British- 
filmed Richard Conte starrer. 

Film was co-produced by Tony 
Owens’ Talon Productions and An- 
glo Amalgamated Film Distribu- 
tors. Ltd. 


Kohlberg Buy* Drive-In 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Essaness interest in the Starlite 
Drive-In here has been bought by 
a syndicate headed by Stanton 
Kohlberg. Kohlberg had operated 
the suburban ozoner in the past in 
conjunction with the Essaness 
circuit. 

Starlite has been a strong drive- 
in competitor in this area with fre- 
quent gimmick shows and often as 
many as six features on a single 
1 bill. 


Hartman, Wyler in N.Y. 

Don Hartman, Paramount's exec 
producer, and producer-director 
William Wyler arrived in N. Y. 
from the Coast this week on the 
prowl for story properties, includ- 
ing originals and possibly legit 
production. 

Wyler, who now has “Desperate 
Hours” in production at Par, and 
William Wilder each signed new. 
multiple-pic deals with the com- 
pany early this month. 


Inside Stuff-Pictures 

Broadway wags are accusing pressagent Bernie Kamber of going to 
unnecessary lengths to publicize his clients’ pictures. 

Four years ago Kamber handled the Clarence Greene-Russell Rouse 
production, “The Thiet.” While the film was playing at the Roxy, 
N. Y., police captured a holdup man In front of the theatre. Photos 
that went over the wire services and those that appeared in the local 
papers featured a shot of the theatre marquee with the title of the 
picture boldly visible. The newspaper stories also pointed up the 
coincidence, mentioning, of course, the pic’s title. 

Kamber is currently pitching the Hecht-Lancaster production. “Vera 
Cruz.” Picture made the front pages in N. Y. and the wire services 
last week when a policewomen nabbed an alleged pickpocket in the 
rear of the orchestra of the Capitol Theatre. It took a shot to cap- 
ture the guy. and the papers said it went unnoticed by the audience 
because of the gunfire in “Vera Cruz.” 


William Shepherd, Member of Parliament and an active Tory back- 
bencher in film industry politics, points out in a letter to the London 
Observer that British pictures are now being made at roughly half the 
1946-50 budget and he was “content that this should be so.” He 
wanted to see production built on a sound financial foundation which 
meant concentration on the low to moderate budget picture for the 
time being. iSuccessful producers, when they have accumulated re- 
serves could then produce something more, ambitious from time to 
time. 

Shepherd comments on the increasing popularity of British films in 
the home market, some of which have created all time boxoffice rec- 
ords. He admits that possibly during the last few years Britain has 
made fewer successful films lavish enough to be considered of inter- 
national standing. This was a matter for regret but arose largely from 
the policy of making lower budget films. 


Universal’s lenser Charles Lang is trying out a new automatic light 
focusing device, attached to the camera that will show the exact dis- 
tance when the image reaches its sharpest definition. Gimmick elimi- 
nates the necessity of separate tape readings to provide focus, and 
will expedite production. First use is being made on Joan Crawford's 
“Female On the Beach.” 


Box Office Television, Inc. has increased Its capital stock from 750 
shares, at $10 par value each, and 400 shares, at no par value, to 
3,175 shares, 2,000 at $10 par value, and 1,175 at no par value. Lewis 
& Mound, New York, filed the certificate with the Secretary of State 
in Albany. 

Indies Will Swell Class 
As Well As Mass Flow 


By WILLIAM GOLDMAN 
Philadelphia, Jan. 11. 

As an exhibitor who has been 
inclined by practice to read the 
handwriting on the wall, one might 
say that I have been nudged into 
the production of motion pictures. 
Fellow exhibitors need no prodding 
to admit that the present dearth of 
good films from Hollywood is a very 
real threat to the theatres of Amer- 
ica. There can be but one conclu- 
sion drawn from a look at the vari- 
ous major distributors’ release 
charts. This is that they have been 
extremely remiss in their judgment 
in properly planning for an ade- 
quate flow of product at a time 
when the national economy is at 
an all time high, when the general 
public has lost its fervor for home 
television viewing, at a time when 
decent product is returning all 
time high grosses with all time 
high profits for the producer at all 
time high percentage terms. 

In my humble opinion, the ma- 
jor producers have failed in their 
obligation to the industry. It is ob- 
vious that they have refused to 
recognize the fact^that additional 
production of outstanding films in 
the present market is a good busi- 
ness risk. The handwriting is on 
the wall of this starved market. 
With the buying public standing at 
the boxoffice. money in hand, in- 
dependent and progressive theatre 
men have seen fit to undertake 
entry into the production field. 
Many showmen are inclined to en- 
courage such efforts .to stimulate 
the flow of good pictures by finan- 
cially aiding individual producers 
or groups as a matter of self pres- 
ervation. This situation is basic; it 
is a simple case of supply out of 
step with demand. The unbalanced 
condition arises from the producer- 
distributor awakening to the fact 
that the “B” picture market was 
slipping below the point of profit- 
able return. 

| Pers onal Boxoffice | 

In the final analysis, divorce- 
ment has deprived the major pro- 
ducer of his own personal boxoffice 
in which run-of-the-mill films 
could be sluffed off to help offset 
studio overhead. With the public 
on a very selective buying spree, 
only the occasional “sleeper” 
among these lesser films can hit 
the financial jackpot. As a result, 
low budget pictures were dropped 
from the schedules of the major 
studios and the number of their 
high budget pictures increased but 
slightly. The result Is reflected by 
first-run theatres being forced to 
hold over pictures beyond the peak 
of their economic productivity. 

The trend has been observed and 
heeded by the minor producing 


combines who have 1 i k e w i s e 
switched from swarms of “B’s” to 
a smaller number of big name "A’* 
productions. All this adds up to a 
major product Shortage. 

Recognizing the potential mar- 
ket, I have decided to enter this 
most exciting creative segment of 
our business in concert with Paul 
Gregory. At this writing, he has,* 
through foresight and showman- 
ship, delivered legit hits, "Don 
Juan In Hell,” "John Brown's 
Body," "The Caine Mutiny Court 
Martial” and now Marge & Gower 
Champion and Harry Belafonte in 
1 "Three For Tonight.” 

His first picture. "The Night of 
: the Hunter”, for UA. will be fol- 
lowed by our first major undertak- 
; ing, “The Naked and the Dead”. 
Our association also includes the 
sage counsel of Charles Laughton 
whose artistry and directorial tal- 
• ents will Certainly be a great as- 
set. As an exhibitor, I indeed wish 
there were a dozen more Gregory- 
1 Laughton-Goldman combinations 
independently producing pictures 
for our industry. 


Exhib Advice 


j 


It is my firm belief that the ex- 
hibitor who enjoys the closest pos- 
sible contact with his patrons, 52 
weeks out of every year, is in the 
best possible position to counsel on 
the production of motion pictures. 
Based upon his experience and 
knowledge of the public’s buying 
habits, he is in a position to dis- 
cern between literary’ properties 
which might be artistic successes 
but financial flops and the real 
meat of solid mass appeal subject 
matter. To be successful, a pro- 
ducer cannot permit himself to be 
swayed by literary grandeur. He 
must rather weigh each potential 
film property in the scale of mass 
appeal unless he would risk finan- 
cial hazards. There is such a 
thing as the successful production 
of offbeat themes and the success- 
ful handling of these frequently 
provide the industry with the 
milestones of outstanding perform- 
ance records. Such productions 
require courage and foresight and 
it has been such recognition of the 
mass marketability of offbeat 
themes that has sparked Paul 
Gregory’s career to date. 

It is my firm belief that pro- 
duction of offbeat pictures should 
be given every possible encour- 
agement by the exhibitors. In 
many cases, the successful mer- 
chandising of certain pictures call 
for very specialized selling and if 
one will but look back over the 
list of boxoffice successes of re- 
cent years, he will recognize many 
of the top hits as falling into the 
above category. 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


f^RIETY 


19 


t 


PREDICTION: IT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST 




Just one 
of the 
BIG 

Celebration 

Pictures! 


WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY 
ATTRACTIONS EVER RELEASEDI 


*"**#&**« * . ... 

ic. . **'• • 


NEVER BEFORE! 

A thrilling romance in spectacular splendor 
and a wealth of singing glory! 

Watch! 

Hannibal’s Army crossing the Alps with his 
elephant cavalry! 

Watch! 

The scheming Beauty who tricks The Bar- 
barian on the march to conquer Rome! 

^ Watch! 

Handsome statues come to life in the amazing 
underwater dance spectacle! 

Watch! 

Dance of the Painted Elephants! 

Watch! 

Clash of armies at the gates of Rome! 


M-G-M’s 


dupiT 


COLOR MUSICAL! 


starring 


PRE-SOLD ! 

Nationwide TV! 

ED SULLIVAN S 

"TOAST OF THE TOWN” 

Jan. 16th. Scenes from "Jupiter’s Darling." 
Esther Williams Interview. 

ED MURROW S 

"PERSON TO PERSON” 

Feb. 1 1th. Visit to home of Esther Williams, 
star of "Jupiter’s Darling." 

Giant Campaign! 

In full-color Satevepost ad. Full-color page 
ad in Sunday Supplements (99 million reader • 
ship): Pictorial Review, American Weekly, 
This Week, Parade. Plus M-G-M Column in 
National Magazines (93 million readership ). 
Plus Fan Magazine ads, etc. 

ELEPHANT TOUR 

Nationwide 6-week tour of Baby Elephant 
in special "Jupiter’s Darling" truck. Will 
visit editors, TV stations, hospitals, etc. 
Publicity gold-mine ! 


ESTHER WILLIAMS 
HOWARD KEEL 


MARGE and 
GOWER 


CHAMPION 
GEORGE SANDERS 

with RICHARD HAYDN • WILLIAM DEMAREST 

Screen Play by DOROTHY KINGSLEY 

Bated o* it* Ploy "toad to tame" by Songs i Choreography by Photographed in 

ROBERT E. SHERWOOD • BURTON LANE and HAROLD ADAMSON • HERMES PAN -EASTMAN COLOR 
Directed by GEORGE SIDNEY * Produced by GEORGE WELLS 


The Perfect Holiday Picture I 
Cast of Hundreds! 

ASK YOUR M-G-M BRANCH 

(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic or 
Perspecta Stereophonic Optical I-Channei Sound) 








20 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Clips From Film Row ! 




ST. LOUIS 


DENVER 


Censor Jobs 

Continued from page 4 ___ 

in their respective communities, 
strictly for a fee, I maintain. And 
these "fitness” tests cost the pic- 


Jim Reavv new head man of the I 
Esquire, Springfield, 111., jointly 
owned by Frisina Amus. Co., and 
Kerasotes Theatres, which was re- 
cently relighted. 

Merchants of Neoga. 111., are co- 
operating with Kermit A. Bushur j 
in operation of the Neoga, which 
has been reopened. 

The Carol. Kevil, Ky., now' being 
operated by the owner Wayne 
Lindsey. Since last June the house 
has been run by James E. Davis 
and Nat Gilliam. Paducah. Ky. 
Now Lindsey has decided to try 
his hand as an exhib. 

The Mascoutah, 111., Commercial 
Club huddling with Fred M. Young 
to find ways of keeping the Norton 
Theatre open. Young has contin- 
ued operation of house since Nov. 

6 w hen he said it would be closed. 

Perry Hoefler shuttered his Or- 
pheum, Quincy, 111., for an indefi- 
nite period. 

Hubert E. Lay, Houton, Mo., 
who opened an ozoner near Houston 
in 1952 sold it to R. D. Fisher, 
Willow Springs, * Mo., where he 
owns a house. 

Wayne W. Stephenson, Par sales- 
man elected head of St. Louis 
Lodge No. 19 of the Colosseum 
of Motion Picture Salesmen of 
America. He served as head of the 
organization since last January 
when Ray McCafTerty resigned to 
become manager of the Republic’s 
branch here. 

C. K. Paisley shuttered his Mark 
Twain, Perry, Mo., for an indefi- 
nite period. 

Doby B. Stout adding to his the- 
atre ownership by constructing an 
ozoner near Fulton. Ky. He has 
one near West Paducah, Ky., 
another at Charleston, Mo. and 
theatres in Arlington and Wick- 
liffe, Ky. 

The Ford, Griggsville, 111., re- 
lighted after undergoing facelift- 
ing. It is operated by Wendall 
Stead and his wife. 

City Theatre, Granite City, 111., 
dark for two years, relighted by 
the St. Louis Amus. Co. 

Fanchon & Marco -St. Louis 
Amus. Co. reopened the LaCosa, 
St. Louis County, which was 
shuttered recently when Hugh 
Graham gave up his sublease on 
the house. 


DALLAS 

Stanlev Hammer Jr., named new 
manager of the Alamo Drive-In, 
San Antonio. 

The Lindale, 1.000-seat nabe 
house in Houston, shuttered since 
1952. reopened there by Ernest 
Lee Tatro. 


Glen Fergusson, assistant city 
manager, Billings. Mont., for Fox 
Inter-Mountain Theatres, named 
city manager at Nampa, Idaho, 
succeeding Floyd Vanderpool, re- ' 
signed. 

Lorane McCarthy sold the Ute, 
Strasburg, Colo., to Clayton and 
Edith Crabb. 

Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres | 
sold the Rialto to Norman Prob- ; 
stein, also owner of the State. I 
Both are subsequent-runs. 

A1 Brandon, who has been doing 
states rights distribution, returned 
to the majors as salesman for RKO. 

Atlas Theatres building a 700- 
scat stadium-type theatre at Brigh- 
ton, Colo., to replace the Rex, 
recently destroyed by fire. Same 
company will replace the Unique, 
Gunnison, Colo., with a 600-seat 
house. 

George Armstrong opened 300- 
car ozoner at Shiprock, N. M. It’s 
first drive-in to be built on Indian 
land. 

Marylee King back on film row 
as booker at Buena Vista. 

The Broadway, built in 1890, 
converted to films about 15 years 
ago, being torn down to make way 
for an addition to the Cosmopoli- 
tan hotel. 

Howard Campbell, Warner Bros, 
salesman, resigned to become 
booker for Westland Theatres in 
Colorado, Lincoln, Neb., and Okla- 
homa City. 

Carl Schaffer, owner of the 
! Pastime. Broadus, Mont., opened a 
300-seater in Ashland, Mont., to 
open that town to films. 

Fox Intermountain Theatres sold 
the 650-seat Bison, McCook, Neb., 
and the 850-seat Paramount, Chey- 
enne, Wyo., to Carlin Smith. 

Lester Dollison bought the Ernie 
Pyle. Albuquerque. N.M., from 
Marlin Butler; house was closed 
for some time. 

Westland Theatres took over the 
operation of the Starlight and the 
Northside drive-ins, Colorado 
Springs, Colo., from Lee Theatres. 


CHICAGO 

Producers Bill Perlberg and 
George Seaton here briefly for pre- 
view of "Bridges of Toko-ri.” 

Ben Katz, Universal publicist, 
out of action for a few days be- 
cause of ptomaine. 

Allied Theatres held 24th anni 
celebration Dec. 29 at the Chez 
Paree. with Jack Kirsch presiding 
and Mayor Kennelly in attendance. 

Max Brodsky, Universal country 
salesman, feted by co-workers on 
his retirement Jan. 1. 


The Tex Drive-In at Port Ar- 
thur purchased from the Tex 
Drive-In Co., by Capri Theatres. 
Inc., of this city which is headed 
by Charles Weisenburg. Name of 
ozoner will be changed to Capri. 
Charles Donaldson will replace 
Howard Arthur as manager. 

Todd Haney, formerly with the 
Griffith Circuit and Jefferson 
Amus. Co., named city manager at 
Woodville for Fain Theatres. 

Bill Starr named manager of Up- 
town at Victoria. Starr recently 
was discharged following eight 
years with the Air Force. 

Gene Hughes replaced Gw’en 
Mulkey as manager of the Texas 
Theatre at Denton which is oper- 
ated by Trans-Texas Theatres. 

Virginia Bullard joined Claude 
Ezell & Associates at homeoffice 
here. She was formerly contract 
clerk with the 20th-Fox exchange 
here. 

Milam Theatre at Cameron re- 
opened to operate on a fulltime 
schedule. House formerly ran on 
weekend only basis. 

Milton L. DuBose, of Majestic 
Theatre at Cotulla, elected a mem- 
ber of directorate of Cotulla Cham- 
ber of Commerce. 

Frontier Theatres of Dallas and 
R. E. Griffith Realty Co., purchased 
Marin Wade's interest in the State 
and Plaza at Gainesville. The State 
will undergo full remodeling, ac- 
cording to Louis Littlefair, resi- 
dent manager for circuit. 

Jimmy Holland and Archie 
Thomas, owners of the Lyric The- 
atre at Brownwood, installed a 
widescreen and plan to put in a 
new generator and rectifiers. 

J. S. Thomason named manager 
of the Hall Industries Theatres at 
Waco, which includes the Rialto, 
Rex and Rio. 

CinemaScope has been installed 
at the American Theatre, managed 
by Bob Euler at Bonham. 

The Cinderella Drive-In intro- 
duced an innovation among ozon- 
ers. Ed Greene, manager of ozoner, 
arranged for patrons whose tastes 

rUn tO flV't’" tO fllr-M ; n 

an helicopter which is making 
daily flights from the ozoner. 


Reggie Donbeck, Miss Chicago 
1954, retained by Universal office 
here to help bally "So This Is 
Paris.” 

John Clark, Allied Artists 
salesman, visiting his son in Marys- 
ville, Cal. 


Picture Problem 

Continued from page 4 

in which release of the film has 
actually pulled up the novel until 
it reappeared on the bestseller list. 

Helping, too, are the frequent 
tieups the distribs make with pub- 
lishers of 25c editions. These pub- 
lishers don't particularly care how 
far they lag behind the original 
printing of a book. They benefit 
from interest in a book roused by 
a film and cash in on cover art 
that’s tied to the picture’s stars. 

Attempt to skip the lag between 
publication of a book and release 
of a film also is responsible for 
the companies’ trying hard to buy 
properties on the basis of advance 
galleyproofs. That enhances their 
chances of timing a pic’s preem 
with publication of the novel. 

There is one favorable aspect in 
the book preceding the film. If the 
story is a b : g hit, and is widely 
read, it does a preselling job for 
the picture that practically can't 
be matched. What the companies 
try to avoid — and are now attempt- 
ing to remedy — is the loss of inter- 
est on the part of the public by the 
time the film is released. 

Various schemes are under study 
by the filmeries. Each envisions 
closer cooperation with the pub- 
lishers. "The ideal situation is if 
a book comes out. is a hit, and we 
follow it in a comparatively brief 
period of time,” one story editor 
commented this week in N Y. "We 
feel sure that, if the time lag isn’t 
too great, we w ill find ways to keep 
public interest alive. I think 
Kramer has hit on a formula that 
ought to pay olf.” 


ture industry approximately $900,- 
000 annually. That figure repre- 
sents what the film companies pay 
to have their product "screened” 
and approved for a proportionately 
small segment of the country’s 
population. 

Of the six states which maintain 
censor boards New York exacts $2 
per reel for every print of every 
film shown commercially. Mary- 
land’s tap is $1 per reel; Virginia, 
$1; Ohio, $3; Pennsylvania, $2; 
Kansas, $1; the City of Chicago, 
$1. etc. These fees not only apply 
to features, but to shorts, trav- 
elogs, cartoons, and even news- 
reels. 

It is not hard to find out just 
where all the censor revenue goes 
in these censor-ridden states. 
Chiefly, it goes to political job- 
holders, but in each state an ample 
sum remains to net the state a 
neat profit on the operation. This 
net profit, looked upon as a soft- 
squeeze tax, can always be brought 
to the attention of the public every 
time there is hue and cry against 
the existence of a censor board. 
Suavely the politicos point out 
such tax revenue takes not a dime 
from the citizens of the specific 
community — that "those rich fel- 
lows out there in Hollywood are 
paying for it, and why not? They 
got plenty.” 

Thus the public is lulled, and 
some portion of that public smugly 
satisfied that the whole system of. 
state censorship eases their own 
tax load. 

| Political Gravy j 

Annually the State of New York 
nets around $200,000 off censoring 
films. That figure is arrived at af- 
ter all salaries of censor personnel 
and various expenses are deducted. 
As far back as 1936 New York 
netted $204,202 from routing all 
films through its censor terminal 
before they could be shown any- 
where in the state. 

In most states the gross take 
from censor ing approximately 
doubles the net, although a small 
state like Maryland, from $40,000 
, to $50,000 grossed each year, nets 
only about $8,000 to $10,000. That 
is because Maryland, although 
smaller than the other censor- 
manned states, still takes care of 
as many or more political plum 
job-holders than some of its larger 
sister states. 

For instance, it always has been 
noticeable that in a state like 
Maryland, the official chief censor 
is always a politician. At present 
Maryland’s g o v e r nor, Theodore 
Roosevelt McKeldin, is a Republi- 
can. So, automatically, is the 
state’s film censor, Sidney Traub. 
When next a Democrat is elected 
governor Traub will be supplanted 
by a party-w’orking Democrat. The 
job and all its prerequisites are a 
political reward. So, too, are all 
the subordinate jobs doled out to 
the censor’s underlings — such as 
“investigators” who are paid to 
drop in on theatres just to make 
sure the censor's seal is flashed on 
the &reen before each feature is 
run off. 

I used to wonder why the film 
industry didn’t go out and do 
battle openly with these censor 
boards; why the major studios 
were willing to lie low' and suffer 
such indignities as those so fre- 
quently inflicted. 

Lately, the nickel dropped. 

I realise now that any knock- 
down-dragout, to-the-finish fight 
against these entrenched political 
censors would bring the very ex- 
istence of these fee-collectors to 
the attention of many a taxpaying 
citizen of many a qjnsor-free state 
for the first time. The "tribute” 
now being paid by film makers is 
almost minuscule to the amount 
the distributors conceivably might 
be taxed. Consequently, these po- 
litical censors in the six fee- 
grabbing states, after a few trem- 
ors caused by the U. S. Supreme 
Court last spring, are now’ more 
blithe again than Noel Coward's 
spirit. They have a submissive film 
industry right by the top of the 
head and know' it. 


San Antonio youth of 19 who 
argued it was his constitutional 
right to talk in a theatre and 
curse the manager, was fined $50 
in Corporation Court, but $40 was 
’suspended” with a warning. 


Regional Evaluation of Radio-TV 

Following are some of the appraisals of results of radio and 
tv use (see adjoining story) by leading American Broadcasting- 
Paramount Theatre affiliates: 

Detroit Circuit: Campaigns are tailored to fit each attraction 
necessitating making own tv trailers by using clips from regular 
trailers. Spectacular type of attractions more suitable to outdoor 
posting than to radio and tv. 

Wilby-Kincey Circuit: Radio is excellent medium for person- 
alized selling by the manager. Also it’s good medium to sell start- 
ing time of feature by buying time signals. Cost of television is 
prohibitive generally . . . Saturation type of campaign better . . . 
Regular pattern tv or weekly use not regarded as effective. 

Paramount-Gulf Circuit: Radio used daily as an auxiliary to 
newspaper, with particularly limited circulation in small towns, 
we get a more complete penetration of adjacent rural areas . . . 
TV is priced out of our reach for what it delivers in small towns. 
Our failure to get the most out of tv thus far is the lack of proper 
material to do the best selling job. UHF outlets are very spotty. 

Arizona Paramount Circuit: Radio saturation campaigns, using 
from 19 to 20 spots a day on two or more stations, give us best 
results. On tv, saturation is best, too, but it costs too much. Star 
closeups provide most effective use in trailers. 

Interstate Circuit: Have eliminated all radio spots after 6 p.m, 
because of the attention tv gets durfng evening hours. On tv, 
selling of action pictures seems more productive whereas drama 
seems rather hard to sell. 

Tri-States Circuit: Consistently split our budget between tv and 
radio, as radio still has large place in our scheme of advertising. 

Minnesota Amusements Circuit: Have found radio to be second 
only to newspaper as a medium on reaching and selling the masses. 
Have increased our radio budget consistently over the past few 
years. 


TV Bally Tools Inadequate 


Continued from page 5 


producers should also investigate 
the creation of promotional gim- 
micks for use as giveaways at tv 
stations, such as boats in a sea pic, 
Indian headdresses in a western, 
etc. 

Tv trailers for big productions 
should be longer than the standard 
20 to 30 second trailers. Studios 
should also make entertaining pro- 
motional tv pix that exhibs could 
j get gratis and that could be screen- 
ed on a sustaining basis. 

An attempt should be made to ( 
come to an agreement with the 
American Federation of Musicians 
to allow use of music in tv trailers. 
"The AF of M should be brought 
to realize that this is an advertis- 
ing accessory and therefore that 
rates on regular music should not 
in any way apply,” the report re- 
commended. David Lipton, Univer- 
sal v.p., told the committee when 
it met at Chicago that he didn’t 
think much headway could be 
made with the musicians’ union at 
this time in re the music in trail- 
ers problem. 


Surveying the distribs’ use of tv 
and radio to plug pix, the AB-PT 
committee concluded that “at pres- 
ent television is considered only 
of minor importance in relation to 
overall campaigns by the distribu- 
tors and used in very few situa- 
tions, and then only on a hypo 
basis for specific attractions.” 

Acting on the suggestion of 
Leonard Goldenson, AB-PT prexy, 
the ad-pub group appoint a com- 
mittee to confer with some of the 
larger national advertising agen- 
cies "to get their views and to 
broaden our own trends and re- 
i suits of tv advertising.” 

Individual circuit reports on the 
effectiveness of their radio and tv 
use in plugging pix reflected the 
committee’s recommendation for 
better "tools” to work with. Com- 
plaint frequently voiced was that 
tv was too costly in relation to the 
1 results delivered. In many areas, 
{ radio remains an important promo- 
i tional tool. 


Lipton also disclosed that U was 
experimenting with expanded tv 
trailers for its big productions, but 
pointed out that some of the 
exhibs dissatisfaction with tv trail- 
ers may be beyond the studios’ 
control. For one thing, some stars 
aren’t allow to go on tv under the 
provision of their contract. For an- j 
other, use of tv trailers is still so 
limited, it’s impractical to make 
more than one set. That means 
that only a single approach is 
possible. 

As for U, the biggest problem 
facing the company was how to 
use tv instead of letting tv use 
the company, Lipton said. He 
pointed out that, if too much en- 
tertainment is provided by the star 
in a personal appearance, viewers 
may be reluctant to leave their tv 
sets. In that way, the film company 
would be defeating its own pur- 
pose. Lipton agreed with the com- 
mittee that not all pix should be 
sold on tv. 

In discussiing the various circuit 
reports, the committee noted that 
saturation campaigns had proved 
the most successful in selling cer- 
tain films on tv but that this was 
mitigated by the unavailability of 
the right material. Dave Waller- 
stein of Balaban & Katz, Chicago, 
-plugged for longer trailers, run- 
ning perhaps anywhere from three 
to five minutes. It was noted in this 
connection that the audio part on 
most tv trailers could stand im- 
provement, and there was agree- 
ment that "most television trail- 
ers lack an imaginative selling ap- 
proach.” 

The committee opined that the 
filmeries should keep exhibs bet- 
ter informed of upcoming tv events 
so that they can be better woven 
into the local promotion of a given 
film. Wallerstein didn't think that, 
in Chicago at least, telecasts of 
preems in other cities did much 
, to help sell a picture. He reported 
further that an attempt in Chicago 
to sell a certain theatre via radio 
I had been both costly and unsuc- 
cessful. His conclusion: Unless it 
| has a specific attraction to sell, 
i radio can t do an institutional job. i 


Circuits’ Plea 

Continued from page 3 — ^ 

represented, Martin said, by a 
small group of members of the 
exhib org’s executive committee. 
TOA is aiming for an appointment 
with Barnes during its mid-winter 
board meeting in Washington Feb. 
13-15. 

Plea on behalf of the theatre 
chains formerly connected with the 
major film companies is another 
effort on TOA’s part to stimulate 
additional production. In its dis- 
cussion with the Dept, of Justice, 
Martin said. TOA will urge that the 
former affiliated theatres be al- 
lowed to produce (and distribute, 
if necessary) pictures “provided 
the proper restraints on monopoly 
are maintained.” 

As soon as the TOA topper re- 
ceives a reply from Barnes, he will 
appoint a committee to meet with 
the antitrust chief. 


Air Media 

SSS Continued from page 5 

grams, sports shows, daytime spots, 
etc. 

Whereas in one town ‘‘Bridges’* 
may be sold via a concentration 
on radio and tv, in its "twin” the 
accent will be on newspapers, 
lobby, trailers, etc. to the exclusion 
of radio and tv. In some towns, 
where there is no tv yet. the test 
may be conducted with radio alone. 
Elsewhere, it may involve tv only, 
with radio not a factor. Circuits 
are now working dut the individual 
pattern. Cost of the experiment is 
to be borne by the distribs. 

While the distribs have made 
sporadic attempts at using tv on a 
large scale, no clear conclusions 
have as yet been drawn as to its 
effectiveness. Company ad-pub 
toppers disagree on the value of tv 
plugs and whether, on individual 
pix, they merit the coin spent on 
them. There’s general agreement 
that an overall formula for selling 
films on tv remains to be found. 






We.lnewlay. January 12, 1955 


THE NEW YORK CRITICS 
SELECTION AS THE 


ON THE 


PRODUCED BY SAM SPIEGEL 


THE NEW YORK CRITICS 
^ SELECTION AS THE 


IN “ON THE WATERFRONT 


THE NEW YORK CRITICS 
SELECTION AS THE 


ELIA 

KAZAN 


FOR “ON THE WATERFRONT 


• . > tb i0 Mi i 






of what promises to be the greatest success story 
in the history of motion picture awards — the story 

of Columbia's “On The Waterfront"... 



22 


PICTURES 


P^RIETY 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Ohio Judges Epitaph to Censorship 

No Curbs Justified — Right of Free Speech Too 
Sacred — Police Power Can't Transcend Law 


Columbus, Jan. 11. 

Ohio's 41 year-old film censor- 
ship law left torn and bleeding 
Dec. 1 when the State Supreme 
Court ruled it “unreasonable and 
unlawful.” had the coup de grace 
administered to it last week by the 
three Courts of Appeals judges 
who declared the law unconstitu- 
tional and void. 

The decision, written by Judge 
John C. Nichols and “reluctantly” 
concurred in by Judges Charles W. 
Montgomery and Lynn B. Griffith. ' 
upset the ruling of Common Pleas 
Judge Ralph J. Bartlett here who 
denied a permanent injunction 
against censorship and the collec- 
tion of fees in a suit filed by RKO 
Pictures, the Independent Theatre 
Owners of Ohio and exhibitors 
Martin G. Smith and Horace i 
Adams. The judge held that this 
could be <ione under state police 
powers. 

Judge Nichols sharply assailed 
those who upheld censorship in 
any form since it impinged on free 
speech end press guarantees. He 
even reminded Judge Bartlett and 
Attorney General C. William 
O’Neill that they should have “kept 
more clear before them the natu’t 
of the oath required of them to 
support, uphold and defend the 
Constitution of the United Stales 
and the Constitution of the Slate 
of Ohio.” 

Abuses may occur, the judge 
wrote, but our forefathers thought 
the great good arising from free 
speech and press guarantees out 
weighs the evils. lie admonished 
the motion picture industry "that 
any violation of the universal!}* 
recognized laws of decency and mo- 
rality will bring such condemna- 
tion as will destroy this instrumen- 
tality capable of so much good in 
furthering morality, education and 
wholesome amusement.” 

Every case in the U. S. Supreme 
Court since Burstyn vs. Wilson on 
May 26. 11152. has gone against film 
censorship, the judge wrote, and 
although the Supreme Court never 
bluntly said so, it indicated with 
decision after decision that it felt 
censorship an abridgement of free 
»peech and press, and therefore un- 
constitutional. 


Tushinsky Reaps Sowings 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Foreign sales on SuperScope 
lenses have taken a 50*'© jump 
since Dec. 15. date Joseph Tushin- 
sky. one of its inventors, returned 
from exploiting process in Europe. 

While abroad. Tushinsky spent 
more than $50,000 in exhib tor 
demonstrations of process. An- 
o.her $25,000 has been spent in ad- 
vertising it in England. France. 
Germany, Spain and Italy. Price 
was reduced from $700 per pair to 
$395 on Jan. 3. 


CHICAGO CENSOR SCORE: 
BAN 7, RESTRICT 35 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Chicago’s Police Censor Board 
reviewed 1.187 films in the year 
1 1954. Of the total, seven were re- 
jected for showing and 35 were , 
restricted to adults only. Of the 1 
total number of pictures, 244 were 
of foreign origin. 

| In the month of December, 1954, | 
the Board reviewed 88 films; it re- ! 
jected none, cut none and restrict- j 
ed none. Eighteen of the films were 
of foreign origin. 


Picture Grosses 


MINNEAPOLIS 


(Continued 
week, "Young 


9) 


College 


Youths Crash 
Through V/ith Short 
For Trade Recognition 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

New trade attention is being fo- 
cused on formal filmmaking edu- 
cation as a sour e of production 
talent. Studios, in varying degrees 
keep a watch cn such institutions 
as the Motion Picture Division of 
the Theatre Aris Dept, at UCLA. 
This was one of the first universi- 
ties to set up a cinema course. 

Cueing interest in UCLA partic- 
ularly at this time is the experi- 
ence of two newcomers to p:x- 
Terry and Denis Saunders, aged 23 
and 25, respectively. They picked 
up their pic ABC's in L A. courses 
and over the past couple of years 
collaborated on the production of 
a few short documentaries. Some 
months ago their “A Time Out of 
War,” 21-minute subject by Robert 
W. Chambers on the Civil War 
won first prize in its class at both 
the Venice and Edinburgh Film 
Festivals. 

This led to relatively bigtime 
recognition. Charles Laughton, di- 
recting "Night of the Hunter" for 
producer Paul Gregory, hired 
Denis Saunders as dialog director 
for the film and placed Terry Saun- 
ders in charge of a second unit 
which went to Oh*o for background 
shooting. “Hunter” now is com- 


Directors' Awards Feb. 13 

X 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

George Sidney, head of the 
Screen Directors Guild, discloses 
that the group's fou.th annual 
Awards Dinner will be held Feb. 
13 at the Biltmore Bowl. At that 
time awards will be presented for 
the best directed motion picture 
and the best directed telepic of 
1954. Guild will also announce its 
•election of the best motion pic- 
ture critic of the year. 

Last year’s winners were Fred 
Zinnemann. fo • "From Here to 
Eternity"; Robert Florey for "The 
Last Voyage," and Bosley Crowther 
oi the N. Y. Times, as top critic. 


30 Technicals 
In Nomination 
For 1954 Oscars 


Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Number of technical advances 
made in the industry during the 
past year is pointed up by the 30 
echnical achievements which have 
been submitted for Academy 
Awards consideration for 1954. 
According to Gordon Sawyer, 
chairman of the Scientific or Tech- 
nical Awards Committee, brochures 
containing copies of the original 
entry letters, technical papers, and 
reproductions oJ - illustrative mate- 
lial have been prepared by the 
Academy staff and distributed to 
the committee. 

Sawyer has released a full list- 
ing of the technical entries “to 
permit those with claims of prior 
art or with devices similar to those 
under consideration to bring them 
to the committee’s attention." List- 
ing is: 

Reflected Light Units. Metro. 

Portable Remote Control Con- 
sole. Universal. 

Heating Element for Motion Pic- 
ture Cameras. Metro. 

Brightness Spot Meter, Photo 
Resea rch. 

Comparator. Metro. 

Electronic Comparator System. 
Columbia. 

Improved Magnetic Transfer 
Machine, Columbia. 

Photo - Magnetic Recording 
Method. Columbia. 

Multiplex Electronic Monitor. 
Columbia. 

West rex Densitometers. Westrex. 

Combination Photo Lens for 
Cinemascope. 20th-Fox. 

Perspecta Sound System, Per- 
specta Sound. 

Stereophonic Magnetic * Sound 
Recording. Cinerama. 

Four-Track Magnetic Cluster, 
RCA. 

Magnescope Cathode Scanner, 
Magnescope. 

Magnetic Film Editing Machine, 
Metro. * 

; Magnetic Film Cutter and Butt 
Splicer, Metro. 

Mitchell Vistavision Camera, 
Mitchell. 

, Vistavision Double Frame Pro- 
I jet tor. Century. 

Synchronized Magnetic Tape Re- 
cording. Rnngertone. 

Graphic Equalizer, Goldwyn. 

Vistavision. Paramount. 

New Projection Framing Device, 
Paramount. 

New Projection Framing Device, 
Paramount. 

Variable Focus Device. Metro. 

Triple-Head Process Projector, 
Metro. 

New Light Source. Warners. 

Electric Cable Reel. Universal. 

Portable Electric Fog Machine, 
Universal. 

Spiral Fluted Columns, Univer- 

Fabrieation of Shutter Slats, 
sal. 

Universal. 

Demonstrations are to be held 
in February. 


Par Mingles With Brass 

Washington. Jan. 11. 

Paramount officials joined with 
Government brass at a Pentagon 
dinner followed by an invitation 
screening of "Strategic Air Com- 
mand" at Loew’s Capitol Theatre 
here last night <Mon.). 

Secretary of the Air Force 
Harold B. Talbott hosted the din- 
ner, which was attended by mem- 
bers of President Eisenhower’s 
family. Cabinet members, numer- 
ous senators and House reps. 
Others present included James 
Stewart, star of the film; Samuel 
Briskin, its producer, and. from 
the Par homeoffice, Barney Bala- 
ban. Paul Raibourn. A. VV. Schwal- 
berg. Jerry Pickman, E. K. O’Shea 
and Russell Holman. 

Also a part of the preview fes- 
tivities was a Willard Hotel recep- 
tion for the press, theatreowners, 
civic leaders and members of the 
armed forces. 


from page 
at Heart” <WB) 

(m.o.», $4,500. 

Radio City (Par) <4.100; 85-$D— 
“Show’ Business" <20th) (2d wk). 
Socko $jl 2.000. Last week, $23,000. 

RKO Orpheum <RKO) <2.800; 85- 
$1) — "$20,000 Leagues Under Sea” 
<BV) <3d w’k>. Big $8,000 in 4 days 
and then likely moves over to 
RKO Pan. Last week, sock $13,000. 

RKO Pan <RKO) <1,600; 50-75) — I 
“Shanghai Story" <Rep) and: 

"Lau a hing Anne" *<Rep). Okay 

$4,500. Last week. “Masterson rf i 
Kansas” <Col) and “Bullet Is Wait- 
ing" <Col), $4,000. 

State (Par) <2.300; 85-$D— “Sign 
of Pagan” <U) (2d wk). Still socko 
at $8,000 or close. Last week. 

$12,500. 

World (Mann) <400; 65-$1.20)— 
"Deep in My Heart" <M-G) <3d 
wk). Tall $4,200. Last week, 

$4,500. 


Break Stereotype 


Continued from page 7 


Geo. Murphy’s New Tour 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

George Murphy, who succeeded 
the late Ida Koverman as public 
relations head for Metro, starts a 
10.000-mile tour this week to spark 
the country’s "1955 Motion Picture 
Theatre Celebration." 

He tots off junket in Denver to- 
morrow <Jan. 12), 


Grace Kelly, too, is another in- 
stance. when she stripped herself 
of youth and beauty for “Country 
Girl." 

Cites More Examples 

Other examples of oil heat cast- 
ing mentioned by Hecht were Mar- 
lon Brando skipping from Napo- 
leon in “Desiree" to a singing and 
dancing tough in “Guys and Dolls," 
coming up; action-identified Robert 
Mitchum playing the self-dedicated 
young doctor in Stanley Kramer’s 
“Not As a Stranger"; Frank Sinatra 
as a psychopathic killer in “Sud- 
denly"; and Jose Ferrer’s song-and- 
dance role in “Deep in My Heart." 
He added that June Alb'son, iden- 
tified as the epitome of the cute 
and radiantly wholesome type, was 
playing her first heavy role as the 
nagging, neurotic wife in “The 
Shrike.” 

Hecht paid tribute, too, to pro- 
ducers and directors who had the 
courage to gamble with compara- 
tive unknowns in starring roles. He 
pointed to Renato Castellani, who 
gave the choice plum of Juliet in 
“Romeo and Juliet" to Susan Shen- 
tall, a young girl who had never 
been in a motion picture before. 
Castellani’s daring, he declared, 
was rewarded with universal criti- 
eal acclaim and the naming of Miss 
Shentall by several reviewers as a 
su.e bet for an Academy Award 
nomination for the best actress of 
the year. 

Producer also had wholehearted 
praise for Henry Erlich for casting 
little-known Dan O'Hcrlihy in title 
role of "Robinson Crusoe." Hecht 
and Lancaster recently cast Ernest 
Borgnine, the heavy in "From Here 
to Eternity," in title role of 
“Marty.” 

Producers xvho dared .subjects 
which hadn’t been tackled before 
also w’ere acknowledged by Hecht, 
who noted John Houseman’s “Exec- 
utive Suite" at Metro, the first film 
to dramatize American business. 
He also mentioned Filmakers’ "The 
Bigamist,” which was amazingly 
frank and sympathetic about a sub- 
ject generally considered taboo on 
the screen. Another willing to take 
a chance was Pat Duggan, he said, 
who attempted something different 
with Paramount’s “Red Garters," a 
musical satire on westerns. 

“It is to the few who are willing 
to experiment with new techniques, 
offbeat stories and fresh talent that 
Hollywood owes its continuous 
progress,” Hecht stated. "We hope 
to contribute our bit with ‘Marty,’ 
which we fully expect will make a 
full-blown star out of Ernest Borg- 
nine. It will also introduce to mo- 
tion picture audiences a new and 
j brilliant writer in HRly Chayefsky.” 


ST. LOUIS 

(Continued from page 8) 

wk). Nice $12,500 after $13,000 
for 49th week. 

Fox (F&M) <5.000; 75)_“So This 
Is Paris" <U> and “Ricochet Ro- 
mance” <U>. Opened today <Tues.). 
Last week. “Sign of Pagan” <U> 
and “Yellow Mountain” <U), smash 
$ 20 , 000 . 

Loew’s (Loew’s) <1.162; 65-90) — 
“Deep In Heart” <M-G> '2d wk). 
Fast $14,000 after $21,500 for ini- 
tial frame. 

Orpheum (Loew’s) ( 1.400; 65-$l) 
— “Leagues Under Sea” <BV) <3d 
wk). Solid $15,000 after $19,000 
for second week: 

Pageant <St. L. Amus.) <1.000; 
82)— “Detective” <Col>. Big $3,000. 
Last week. “Hansel and Gretel" 
< RKO) <2d wk), $2,500. 

Richmond <St. L. Amus.) <400; 
82) — "Detective” <Col». Sock $2.- 
500. Last week. “Hansel ai.d 
Gretel” iRKOt <2d wk). $2,000. 

St. Louis « St. L. Amus.) <4.000; 
75-90) — "Show Business" <20th) 
<3d wk). Swell $18,000 or close 
after $21,000 for second week. 

Shady Oak < St. L. Amus.) <800; 
82) — “Romeo and Juliet" <UA>. 
Fast $3,000. Last week. "Vanishing 
Prairie" (Disney) <6th wk), $2,500. 


‘Young' Hotsy $16,000, 
Buff.; ‘Pagan’ Hep 10G 

Buffalo, Jan. 11. 

Only one newcomer at first-runs 
this week. “Young At Heart," and 
it shapes good at Paramount. “Sign 
Pagan,” at Lafayette in second 
week; “Show Business" at the 
Buffalo, "Leagues Under Sea" at 
Century .and “Silver Chalice” at 
Center, all in third rounds, loom 
very well for holdovers. 

Estimates for This Week 

Buffalo (Loew’s) (3,000; 50-$l) 

“Show Business" (20th) (3d wk). 
Lively $15,000 or better. Last 
week, $21,000. 

Paramount (Par) (3,000; 50-80) — 
"Young at Heart” <WB) and "Fast 
and Furious” (WB). Good $16,000 
or close. Last week, “3-Ring 
Circus" <Par) (2d wk), $18,200 in 
10 days. 

Center (Par) (2.000; 50-80) — 
"Silver Chalice” <WB) <3d wk). 
Neat $10,000 or near. Last week 
$13,000. 

Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 50-80) — 
"Sign of Pagan" <U) and “Race For 
Life" <U) (2d wk). Rousing $10,000 
or slightly less. Last week. $17,000. 

Century iBuhqwk) <3.000; 80-$l) 
— "Leagues Under Sea” <UA) <3d 
wk). Potent $15,000 or under. Last 
week, $20,000. 


KANSAS CITY 

(Continued from page 9) 

<3d wk). Fancy $9,000, and holds. 
Last week, $12,000. 

Paramount (United Par) <1.900; 
75-SI > — "3-Ring Circus” <Par) <3U 
wk). Smash $9,000. Last week, 
$15,000. 

Roxy <Durwoo(j) <879; 75-$l> — 
"Young at Heart” <WB> <3d wk>. 
Scale upped from 90c but only me- 
dium $4,500. Last week, $5,500. 

Tower, Uptown, Fairway, Grana- 
da (Fox Midwest) <2.100; 2.043; 
700: 1 217; 65-85)— ”20.000 Leagues 
Sea” <BV ) <3d wk'. Hefty $12,000. 
Last week. $18,000. 

Vogue (Golden) <550; 75-$l) 

“The Detective" <Col) <3d wk). Big 
S2.200 and holds. Last week, $2,- 
500. 


PITTSBURGH 

(Continued from page 9) 

everybody here, sock $19,000 or 
over, which probably means a hold- 
over; this would push back “Vera 
Cruz” <UA>. Last week. "Deep in 
Heart” <M-C.) (2d wk). $12,000. 

Squirrel Hill <SW) <900; 65-$ P— 
“Detective" (Col). Alec Guinness 
always big here but this one’s 
likely to crack the run record at 
nabe arter. with the scale upped 
permanently now from 85-cent top 
to $1. Heading for fine $3,500 on 
top of $5,000 last week. 

Stanley <SW) <3.800; 65-$D— “3- 
Ring Circus" (Par). Martin and 
Lewis starrer sailing along nicely, 
with big $20,000 likely and enough 
to stay. Last week. "Young In 
Heart” <WB). $27,000 in 11 days. 

Warner <SW> (1.365; $1.25-$2.65) 
— “Cinerama” , (Indie) (58th wk). 
With closing date announced as 
Feb. 13. this is perking up biz. 
Looks fine $11,000. Last week, 
$19,000. 


DENVER 

(Continued from page 8) 

wk). Nice $16,000, and holding. 
Last week, $18,000. 

Esquire (Fox) (742; 50-85' — 

“Bread. Love, Dreams" <IFE) (3d 
wk). Tall $2,000. Last week, 
$2,500. 

Orpheum (RKO) <2.600; 50-85) — 
"Deep In Heart" <M-G) < 2d wk'. 
Good $1.0.000. but stays on. Last 
week, 6i8.500. 

Paramount (Wolfberg) <2,200; 
60-$D— "Vera Cruz” <UA) (3d wk). 
Sockeroo $14,000. Continues. Last 
week, $15,000. 

Vogue (Pike) (442; 74-90)— “Can- 
gaceiro" (Col). Fair $1,500. Last 
week, on reissues. 


WB Steps Up 


Continued from page 5 


CHAINS SETTLE 


Mpls. Boothmen Compromise But 
Indies Still Dicker. 


Minneapolis, Jan. 11. 

After several months of negotia- 
tions during which a strike that 
would have closed Minneapolis the- 
atres seemed imminent, the Minne- 
sota Amusement Co. (United Para- 
mount Theatres here) and RKO 
Theatres have reached an agree- 
ment on the terms of a new three- 
year contract with AFL booth op- 
erators, thus averting a walkout. 

However, the city’s independent 
exhibitors, having a separate ex- 
pired contract, too, continue dead- 
locked with the projectionists on 
terms of a new three-year pact and 
still face the threat of having their 
theatres shuttered. 

Union had sought from the large 
Paramount and RKO Theatres a 
15c an hour pay boost each of three 
years and vacation and other con- 
cessions. Thd compromose gives 
them no salary increase the first 
year, but 9c an hour each the sec- 
ond and third years. The chains 
lost out in their efforts to have the 
number of booth men reduced from 
five to three. 


his initial production chores. He 
has a five-year deal with WB. with 
the film company holding an an- 
nual option right. 

Rosenberg and director Rudolph 
Mate are currently in New York 
to scout locations for “Miracle in 
the Rain," the Ben Hecht novelette 
lor which Hecht also provided the 
screenplay. The film, starring 
Jane Wyman, goes before the cam- 
eras early in May, with a major 
portion of the shooting scheduled 
for New York. Hecht is presently 
doing a polishing job on the script. 

Prior to embarking on “Miracle.” 
Rosenberg will hold the production 
reins on “Illegal,” based on an 
original by W. R. Burnett. Pic 
will star Edward G. Robinson, with 
Lewis Allen directing. It deals 
with a district attorney who 
wrongfully sends a man to the 
electric chair. 

Also on Rosenberg’s slate is "So 
Shall I Lie,” an original by James 
Webb, and “U.S.S. Marblehead.” a 
film based on a true wartime Navy 
incident. Harold Medford wrote 
the screenplay. 

Rosenberg, a former pud-ad chief 
turned film producer, in comment- 
ing on the "happy days we re living 
in now,” said the industry had to 
be careful to preserve this condi- 
tion since there’s “a tendency to 
become careless with the public 
during a time of prosperity.” 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


How To Handle Cooper 

Continued from pace 7 — — — — . 


un another feature and maintained 
his foreboding silence. Rumors be- 
gan seeping out that he intended 
making this and that film. These 
whispers kept us in a state of con- 
stant corporate agony. 

He had an angle, that surely was 
it. Something was up his sly sleeve. 

W e were offering him a percentage 
of the picture’s profits and it was 
obvious he wanted a better cut. 
The man’s slow' drawl and cowboy 
taciturnity hid a commercial heart. 

It was plain his lawyers and agents 
had advised him to appear vague 
and undecided. 

There seemed nothing we could 
do but harass the script writers — 
make certain that Cooper, the pro- 
posed hero of “Vera Cruz.’’ would 
look as interesting, perhaps more 
so, as Burt Lancaster, its heavy. 
This seemed easy to do because the 
characters, unlike those in our 
forthcoming versions of A. B. 
Guthrie’s “The Way West” and 
Paddy Chayefskyi* “Marty.” were 
most malleable. A little more or 
less business for one or the other 
would not alter the story to any 
drastic extent. 

( Not V erbose Ty pe | 

We kept this from Cooper, in- 
forming him from time to time that 
the script was coming along nicely. 
Not a word from him. An asso- 
ciate of ours eased the pain with 
an old story they tell in Holly- 
wood concerning Cooper’s reti- 
cence. Seems he drove over to a 
pal’s house one day, made a ges- 
ture as though aiming a shotgun 
in the air, spent the entire day 
skeet-shooting with the friend, 
then left without saying a word. 
“Cooper’s just not the talking 
kind,” said the associate, thereby 
winning the world’s championship 
for stressing the obvious. 

In both versions of “Vera Cruz.” ; 
we had Cooper kill Lancaster off 
at the finish. Because Burt’s was 
such a compelling character, we 
felt Cooper might feel he’d forfeit ^ 
audience sympathy in putting his i 
pistol to Burt. 

Finally, word came from Cooper, 1 
agent. He was coming up from 
Mexico. Could we meet him at Ro- 
Romanoff's? There, he seemed 
somewhat unhappy. Yep, he had 
read the second script. “Liked the 
fust one better,” he said. W’e 
gulped and recovered in time to 
give him a starting date for the i 
film. He looked at some wardrobe ; 
sketches just casually and then ' 
left, whistling. 

It had all been just too easy. We 
knew this for a fact when we 
looked for him again to sign the 
contract. He had vanished, totally. 
Our imagination ran riot again. 
True, he’ had said he liked the first 
script better than the second, but 
he hadn’t said he liked the first 
one. We began worrying all over 
again. But the picture was ready 
to roll in Mexico so off we went, 
taking a writer along just in case. 

Forty-eight hours before direc- 
tor Robert Aldrich ordered the first 
camera turned, we had yet to hear 
from Coop. Obviously, he wasn’t 
coming. At that time, Hollywood 
stars were walking out of pictures 
all over town. Marlon Brando had 
fied a commitment, so had Marilyn 
Monroe. Already "Vera Cruz” had 
lost Mari Blanchard on a contrac- 
tual technicality, after her ward- 
robe had been fitted. Denise Dar- i 
cel was substituted at the final mo- ! 
ment. Would we have to do the 
same for Cooper? The W’illiam 
Morris office and Music Corp. of 
America were alerted to stand by 
for our SOS. 

Exactly 24 hours before the day 
ye rolled. Cooper called. He had 
just arrived, was delayed because 
his instructions as to where to go i 
had been misplaced. We were re- J 
lieved about thre-million dollars ; 
worth. Now came the task of keep- | 
ing him content. 

1_ Un pretentious | 

He was assigned a swank suite 
al the best hotel in Mexico City, 
i * u ‘ n we called him there an hour 
later, he had checked out. We 
finally found him at a bungalow 
three blocks away. He hadn’t liked 
the suite — “too big, too elegant.” J 
*'e insisted he let our caterer pre- j 
pare special food for him during 
the shooting. No, he said, he’d pre- i 
,ei ’ the tiny Mexican restaurants. 

the picture went along smoothly. 

> e had furnished him with a com- 
fortable portable dressing room in- 

° which he could escape from 
crowds between scenes. But he 
Wouldn't use it. Instead, he’d i 


stretch out on the grass under a 
tree. Wasn’t the dressing room 
satisfactory, Mr. Cooper? Yep, but 
he liked it outside, too. 

One day the company doctor re- 
ported he thought Cooper might 
have German measles. Cooper 
wouldn’t hear of it. Said it must 
be something he had eaten. We 
offered to shut down for a day 
or so. Nope, let’s just keep going. 

So far we had kept Cooper’s and 
Lancaster’s parts evenly balanced. 
No one could accuse the Hecht- 
Lancaster Organization of showing 
partiality to its own star despite 
recurrent reports that a feud was 
brewing between Cooper and 
Lancaster. Then one day Cooper 
was accidentally shot in the shoul- 
der by Lancaster at close range 
with the wad from a blank car- 
tridge. If this became known, 
wouldn’t the gossips read premedi- 
tation into the accident? Taking 
no chances, the publicity man on 
the picture reported instead it was 
an extra player who had shot 
Cooper. 

j Mighty Fin e Ink 

It developed later the publicist 
knew better than any of us how' to 
get along with Cooper. “Do Coop 
one favor and he’s your friend,” 
he said. He gave us as an example 
the story of a publicity man who 
once asked Cooper to sign an auto- 
graph, handing him a fountain pen 
filled with brown ink for the pur- 
pose. It happened that Cooper had 
been trying to find brown ink 
everywhere. Would the publicist 
get him a bottle? He got it and 
became the only man on the set 
who could get Cooper to do any- 
thing for the company beyond the 
letter of hi£ contract. “He never 
forgot the brown ink,” the pub- 
licist said. “One day he pointed 
me out to a friend on the set. ‘See 
that young fellow over there?’ he 
drawled. ‘Fine boy. Got me a bottle 
of brown ink’.” 

This is a long way of saying that 
Gary Cooper is an unbelievably 
charming fellow. Lancaster liked 
him so much he insisted Cooper 
take top billing in “Vera Cruz." 
our widescreen Technicolor ad- 
venture drama played against Max- 
imilian’s reign in Mexico. 

In fact, the guy was so easy to 
deal with, I still suspect him. No 
one in his position should be so 
all-fired nice. He still must have 
an angle. 


DCA Decides 

Continued from pace 3 

fair." Boasberg, who had worked 
closely with Disney while the for- 
mer w'as sales topper of RKO. con- 
tacted Roy Disney, prexy of Buena 
Yista, the Disney distribution com- 
pany. Roy Disney, according to 
Boasberg, apologized profusely and 
said the Disney org was unaware 
of DCA’s distribution plans for the 
picture. 

An attempt by Boasberg to get 
a plug for “Long John Silver” on 
the Disney video show failed to 
materialize when Roy learned from 
Walt that the tv format on film had 
been set weeks in advance. 

In reappraising the situation. 
DCA now says “it can’t see how 
the Disney show’ can hurt us.” In 
fact, it feels that Disney’s “Treas- 
ure Island’’ might well serve as a 
trailer for “Long John Silver.” 
DCA is stressing in its printed ad- 
vertising and tv plugs that "It’s 
New” and that “Long John” is 
"The First Pirate Adventure in 
CinemaScope.” DCA’s promotional 
efforts is now’ slanted toward em- 
phasizing the “New” angle. 

New England kickoff for “Long 
John” from Feb. 18-25 was selected 
because this is an annual school 
vacation period in that area. Com- 
bined with the Washington and 
Lincoln birthday holidays, schools 
are also shut down for several days 
to allow teachers to attend con- 
ventions. Following the N.E. bow 
in more than 60 theatres, backed 
by a hefty tv-radio campaign, the 
picture will open late in February 
in Washington, Philadelphia and 
parts of Florida. 

DCA is not rushing the picture’s 
playoff, but is following a care- 
ful booking plan. While some 
dates may be obtained after Febru- 
ary, aim is to delay booking in 
other areas until the Easter vaca- 
tion period in order to take full 
advantage of the kid trade. The 
New York bow is not planned until 
the Easter period. 


PICTURES 


23 


DICK Pins IN CHICAGO 

Takes Over Ad Directorship 
of Filmack Trailers 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Dick Pitts took over advertising 
director’s slot at Filmack Trailers 
Jan. 1, replacing Lou Kravitz who 
i moves up to sales vice presidency. 
Pitts had been public relations di- 
rector for Theatre Owners of 
America and was previously with 
COMPO. 

Filmack is surveying prospects 
for a New York bureau to be head- 
ed by Don Mack, son of president 
Irving Mack. 


Neumann s Co-Production Economics 
Germans To Make film In America 


List Warner Salaries; 
Stockholder Meetings May 
Go Outside Delaware 

Total remuneration paid by War- 
ner Bros, to executives earning 
over $30,000 annually totaled $846,- 
350 for the fiscal year ending Aug. 
31. 1954. This is revealed in a proxy 
statement calling stockholders to 
an annual meeting Feb. 2 in Wil^ 
mington, Del. Four of the coin-' 
pany’s top officers received $l04,- 
000 each, including fixed amounts 
paid as allowances for expenses. 

In the $104,000 bracket are prexy 
Harry M. Warner, veepee Jack L. 
Warner, veepee Samuel Schneider, 
and veepee Ben Kalmenson. Other 
salaries listed were Albert Warner, 
veepee and treasurer, $78,000; Sam- 
uel Carlisle, comptroller and as- 
sistant treasurer, $40,050; Stanleigh 
P. Friedman, veepee, $65,000, and 
Robert W. Perkins, veepee and gen- 
eral counsel. $78,000. 

At the annual confab, stockhold- 
ers will be asked to vote upon a 
proposal to amend the certificate 
of incorporation to conform with 
a section of the by-law’s of the cor- 
poration which provides that di- 
rectors shall be divided into two 
classes and. elected for a term of 
two years, with the terms of each 
class expiring in alternate years. 

The board of directors has nomi- 
nated for re-election Waddill Catch- 
ings, Perkins, and Harry, Jack, and 
Albert Warner. 


Ardee Films Organized 

By Fine Arts* Davis 

Richard Davis, operator of the 
Fine Arts Theatres, N. Y., has 
formed Ardee Films as a new com- 
pany to import foreign pix and 
also to produce English-language 
films abroad. Davis is prez of the 
outfit. 

First pic to go through Ardee 
will be the French "Holiday for 
Henrietta," directed by Julien Du- 
vivier. It stars Danv Robin. Hilde- 
garde Neff and Michael Auclair and 
will preem at the Fine Arts. 


RING LARDNER JR. PLEA 
REACHES TOP COURT 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Ring Lardner, Jr.’s $25,000 sal- 
ary suit against 20th-Fox, an out- 
growth of the 1947 Un-American 
Activities Committee hearings, 
reached the Supreme Court past 
weekend on appeal by the writer. 

Lardner was fired by the studio 
after he. as one of the “Unfriendly 
10," was cited for contempt of 
Congress by the House of Repre- 
sentatives after refusing to answer 
questions about whether he was a 
member of the Communist Party. 
He won his suit for back salary in 
the trial court but the verdict was 
reversed by the Ninth Circuit 
Court on Nov. 9, 1954. 

Legal question propounded to 
the Supreme Court by counsel for 
Lardner — Robert W. Kenny, Mor- 
ris E. Cohn and Charles J. Katz — 
has a new twist for these cases. 
They ask the tribunal to rule 
whether an employer may fire a 
person who has refused to answer 
the $64 question — if the employee 
has not pleaded the Fifth Amend- 
ment. Lardner wants salary al- 
legedly due him for the balance 
of his contract with Fox. Studio 
claims it fired him under the "mo- 
rals” and “good conduct” clause 
of his contract for defying a Con- 
gressional committee. 

“The practical effect of the de- 
cision below, unless corrected by 
this court," states the Lardner de- 
cision, “will be to give judicial 
approval to a motion picture indus- 
try practice which has driven hun- 
dreds of writers, actors, and crafts- 
men from their livelihoods. The 
decision makes legal outcasts out 
of men and women for acts which 
they now learn for the first time 
constitute moral turpitude as a 
matter of law. 

“They can no longer depend 
upon the community experience ot 
jurors to determine whether their 
acts offend the public mores. The 
court below has written a clause 
into all of their employment con- 
tracts which will permit employers 
to cancel them if the employee 
refuses to answer any Committee 
questions held to be relevant. To 
the punishment of crime and im- 
prisonment provided for this of- 
fense by Congress, the court below 
has added an even greater pun- 
ishment — deprivation of livelihood 
— and without a trial by jury.” 


Catholic Journal Raps 
Advertising Copy Used 
To Sell Film Tickets 

Milwaukee. Jan. 11. 
Catholic Herald Citizen recently 
took editorial crack at theatre and 
motion picture advertising, saying 
in part: 

“Newspapers betimes offer pe- 
culiar reading. Especially in the 
advertising they carry. Especially 
in theatre and motion picture ad- 
vertising. 

“The Sunday Milwaukee Jour- 
nal for instance. Copy on a play 
at the Pabst carried the brilliant 
information: ‘Coming direct to 
you from a sensational 3 year 
Paris run.’ What was coming? 
An item called ‘Pajama Tops’ and 
described in said copy as ‘naugh- 
tier than the Moulin Rouge’; ‘sau- 
cier than the Folies Bergere’; ‘un- 
cut . . . uncensored’ ‘the play that 
rocked and shocked Paris.* " 
Commenting on another Journal 
movie ad the Herald stated: 

“Topuf the page there’s a bigger 
geegaw barking a movie with the 
line in heavy black type ‘Someone 
will kill this girl tonight’ and un- 
derlined by the stale comeon ‘Meet 
the characters who spin a web of 
strange evil and deadly suspense in 
the first real crime-of-passion 
referred to ‘The Black Widow.* 
“Some time ago.” the Herald 
editorial continued. "Sam Goldwyn 
who has spent most of his career 
in the film factories stated it as 
his opinion that ‘twould be nice 
if the Code were relaxed to per- 
mit the more mature type of pic- 
ture to the theatre screen.’ We re- 
call too that editors and publish- 
ers. in their zealous custody of 
freedom of the press, exercise ‘Ma- 
ture’ supervision of their advertis- 
ing copy.” 


Top Actors Dub 


Continued from page 3 


use, a C’Scope pic would have to 
be unsqueezed as well as reduced. 

Next Assignment 

Dunne said he would make his 
next film. “View' from Pompey’s 
Head," in a triple-threat capacity 
of writer, producer and director, 
w hile he’ll only produce and direct 
another film on his sked, “Katha- 
rine.” Script for “Pompey’s Head," 
the story of a young attorney re- 
turning to his small Southern 
hometown for a fleeting romance 
with his past, hasn’t been written 
yet. Dunne said he was looking for 
‘‘someone like Gregory Peck and 
Dorothy McGuire” to play the two 
lead parts, and for a new face to 
be cast in the role of a Southern 
girl. 

Like most Coast producers, Dunne 
felt that Hollywood wasn’t do- 
ing enough to develop new screen 
talent. "And when we do pick up 
people, they often tend to look 
alike,” he observed. 

Dunne also expressed fear that 
the studios might be pressured 
back into a production policy ac- 
centing mass rather than quality. 
“I’m afraid there are some signs 
in the wind, but I hope I’nrwrong,” 
he declared. Dunne’s contract with 
20th has another year and a half to 
go. After that, he thought he might 
try his wings as an indie producer. 
“Others have done it.’’ he said. "I’m 
hopeful that, when the time comes,’ 
I may be able to work out a deal 
with 20th-Fox." He feels strongly 
that a man shouldn’t attempt to 
undertake too many chores at once 
and consequently may give up his 
“Katherine” assignment if it turns 
out that it overlaps with "View 
from Pompey’s Head.” 


’ Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

| Although some observers think 
! that co-production in European 
lands has passed its zenith of prac- 
ticality, Kurt Neumann’s point of 
view is otherwise. Here for a 
quickie visit over the holidays, he 
pointed to 30% of Germany’s an- 
I nual program of 110 features being 
j on co-production deals. Economic 
necessity favors more of the same, 

; he feels. 

Neumann, who directed "Carni- 
I val Story” for the King Bros, last 
year in Germany is now en route 
back to Berlin to embark upon the 
German-Italian production of "Star 
of Rio," which he will produce and 
direct. 

Growing need for quality pro- 
ductions necessarily has ied to 
higher costs, Neumann reports. 
Since the average German picture 
usually cannot make a profit if 
the cost exceeds $250,000 or there- 
abouts, it is only logical that Ger- 
man producers make deals with 
either French or Italian producers, 
so that their pictures then will 
have two markets instead of one. 
The extra version in the other lan- 
guage costs only about 20' b more 
than the single. 

The two versions generally have 
different leads. Neumann stated, 
unless they are well known in both 
countries. Since all pictures are 
^dubbed. there are no language dif- 
ficulties. 

Neumann, more familiar with 
the German situation than else- 
wheee due to being German-born 
and having made many pictures 
there, reported there is little color 
production in that country, and 
that not a single picture turned 
out in color last year got its money 
back. Reason for this, he said, is 
because prints cost from 400% to 
4 30% more than tinters made up 
in U. S.. which naturally makes 
prohibitive such production. 

Government Aids Industry 

German government is firmly in 
back of its country’s film produc- 
tion program, and will provide 
80% of the financing if it approves 
the story, director and cast top- 
pers. Neumann noted. Balance of 
costs may be deferred. It is ready 
to push co-produetion deals, and 
is particularly receptive to any 
such deals with American com- 
panies. Realizing there is a much 
better chance for big pictures to 
succeed than the smaller ones, 
J strictly domestic made, the govern- 
ment is in favor of German pro- 
ducers making deals with film- 
makers in other countries. 

One of the reasons for Neumann 
returning to Hollywood for his 
brief stay is to try to work out a 
co-production deal with some 
American company for “Enemies 
Are Human," for which he already 
has German-government backing 
for his end of the project. Picture 
would be made in this country in- 
stead of abroad, marking the first 
time that a German-American co- 
production was shot in the U. S. 

American pictures are particu- 
larly popular in Germany, accord- 
ing to Neumann, with musicals, 
westerns and “Tarzans” the most 
popular. Apeman pix go on for- 
ever. “From Here to Eternity” 
and “Moulin Rouge" also scored 
particularly strongly, and advance 
orders on “Gone With the Wind” 
for its Hamburg showing paid for 
the theatre where it was to play 
even before film opened. 

While he was abroad during the 
last nine months, Neumanh turned 
out “They Were So Young.” a 
Robert L. Lippert production 
which goes into release this month, 
starring Scott Brady, Johanna 
Matz and Raymond Burr. He also 
did the German version of 
"Variety,” which may later 'be 
dubbed into English. Emile .Tan- 
nings starred in the original Ger- 
man silent version. 


New York Theatre 


RADIO cm MUSIC HALL 

Kockelrllei Critter 


~n 


“DEEP IN MV HEART” (I 

In Glorious COLOR starring I 

JOSE MCRLE HELEN f 

FERRER ’ 0BER0N . TRAUBEL I 

An M UM || 

Hw Katie Hair i treat Chrtytwai Stage S>ot j 



24 


PICTURES 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


FUTURE OF THE 
DUBBED FILM 


By PETER RIETHOF- 

[President, American Dubbing Co. 

The year 1954 has seen a sub- 
stantial increase of dubbed films 
on the American market, a result 
predicated by foresighted people. 
The reason is plain economics. 
Whereas a good foreign film can 

earn money only in the art thea- 
tres, an English-speaking version 
can be shown everywhere. 

True, dubbing is not new in this 
country, but has been done for a 
long time? But the quality of the 
dubbing productions (and the cor- 
responding boxoffice returns) were 
In the past not sufficiently high to 
warrant an expansion of this de- 
partment of motion picture pro- 
duction. 

It needed an earnest approach 
to the art of dubbing, before dub- 
bing could be successful. Now, 
after films like “Heidi,” “Anna” 
and others, which this writer pro- 
duced. people have learned, that 
a foreign film, dubbed in a first 
class manner, can justify the dub- 
bing costs in expanded grosses. 

The emphasis must be on first 
class dubbing, because the audi- 
ence (and naturally the critics) 
reject a film, which is not dubbed 
in a completely convincing way. 
The situation is different in Eu- 
rope, where people grew up with 
dubbed films since the “talkies. ’ 
Our audience expects a dubbed 
film to be for all practical pur- 
poses indistinguishable from an 
original version. This naturally 
calls for very careful casting, so 
that the English voice blends per- 
fectly with the face and charac- 
teristics of the actor of the original 
version. This writer has sometimes 
spent weeks and even months be- 
fore he could find the actor whose 
voice corresponded in an ideal way 
to the actor of the original version. 
Also the writing of the American 
script is extremely difficult, and 
can be compared to translating 
poetry: The same idea needs to be 
expressed in character with the 
role, and words have to be found, 
which have almost Identical lip 
movements. 


NICKLEODEON UNVEILING 
GETS CELEB WHOOPLA 

Philadelphia, Jan. 11. 

Largest delegation of film nota- 
bles to hit this city since the days 
of the World War II "Caravans” 
is slated to attend the Motion Pic- 
ture Associates dinner and the 
day-long ceremonies marking the 
opening of the Nickelodeon in the 
Franklin Institute, Jan. 18. 

Following a reception in the of- 
fice of Mayor Joseph Sill Clark, 
Jr., visitors will proceed to the 
Franklin Institute in a cavalcade 
of antique automobiles, led by the 
Pensacola, Naval Cadet Choir. 

Taking part in the Nickelodeon 
dedication and the dinner will be 
Deborah Kerr, Eva LeGallienne, 
Esther Williams and Ben Gage, 
John Ericson, Charles Laughton 
and Elsa Lanchester, Alfred W. 
Schwalberg and his w'ife, Carmel 
Myers; George Murphy, Donna 
Reed, Marge and Gower Champion, 
Rita Gam. Paul Gregory, George 
Sidney, William Perlberg and 
George Seaton. . 

At the Franklin Institute, Laugh- 
ton will be honored with a life 
membership and have his hands 
and feet impressed in concrete be- 
fore the Nickelodeon entrance. 
Principal speaker at the MPA din- 
ner will be Secretary of the Navy 
Charles S. Thomas, who will dis- 
cuss the role of films in Armed 
Forces training, entertainment and 
reporting. 

In keeping with the historical 
theme, the $25-a-plate dinner (pro- 
ceeds to go to the MPA welfare 
fund) will honor four Philadelphia 
industry pioneers — Ben Amster- 
dam, A1 Boyd, William C. Hunt 
and Abe Sablosky. Philly exhib 
William Goldman is the donor of 
the Nickelodeon. 


Marilyn on Coast 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Back in Hollywood, Marilyn 
Monroe told newsmen she 
i wants to see 20th Century-Fox 
studio execs to try to work 
out her problems. She’ll also 
see Nunnally Johnson next 
week about her next picture, 
“How to Be Very Popular.” 

Today <Tues.) she sits for 
poster art at studio. 


Pix For Children Only 


Continued from pane 7 


M. Monroe Tells 


Continued from pace 4 


Technique All-Vital 

of 


The directing of the actors is 
even more difficult, as the director 
of a dub job lias4o guide his actors 
to express the emotions in exactly 
the same way as the original cast, 
and in lip sync. It is therefore not 
surprising that compromises, and 
attempts to get by with quick and 
cheap dubbings, seldom pay off. It 
was this disappointment with the 
cheaply dubbed films that, in the 
past, gave dubbing an undeserved 
bad name among some distributors. 

The technique of the American 
Dubbing Co. is a closely guarded 
secret. It dispenses with “running 
bands” etc., which causes the 
actors to speak their lines, instead 
of acting them out. At the same 
time it saves the actors’ nerves, 
and thereby proves to be quite 
economical, as a dubbing produc- 
tion is finished in less time. The 
successes of some foreign films 
shown in dubbed version all over 
the USA. have had some surprising 
effects. Some, indirectly, influence 
Hollywood. It is expected that 
reciprocal trade agreements will 
become less of a problem, as for- 
eign producers will earn more 
money with their dubbed films in 
the USA. As they earn more dol- 
lars, foreign governments will have 
less problems in remitting the 
dollar earnings of our own films 
in their country. Thereby both 
sides are expected to profit: We 
will get more playing time and 
more money out of foreign coun- 
tries, and foreign producers will 
have a new market in the USA. It 
might be interesting to note, that 
European producers so far ex- 
pected less proceeds from the USA, 
the biggest film country in the 
world, than from tiny countries 
like Switzerland or Luxembourg! 


Allentown Legion Forces 
Cancellation of Chaplin 

Allentown. Pa., Jan. 11. 

Muhlenberg College has can- 
celled the “Chaplin Festival” 

scheduled for Feb. 4 because of 
protests by the American Legion 
in Allentown. 

Prexy Conrad Seegers of Muhl- 
enberg said that when four old 
Charlie Chaplin films were booked, 
it was determined that Chaplin 
would not receive any income from 
the showings, but when the Legion 
protested it w’as decided not to 
show the films at all. 

Wilson Luttle. commander of the 
Allentown Legion post, said that 
more than 100 Legionnaires voted 
at a meeting to ask the college to 
withdraw the films, w'hieh were to 
be shown as part of the “Great 
Films of Yesterday” series. 

Luttle said the Legion took the 
action because of Chaplin’s alleged 
anti-American record of recent 
years. 


Studios Yen 


Continurd from page 3 


Borrows Jane Russell 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Jane Russell has been borrowed 
by indie producer Howard Welsch 
from Howard Hughes for star role 
in his indie film, “Portofino,” sked- 
ded to start in April. 

Pictures will be first for actress 
since she signed her new contract 
with RKO. She previously appeared 
for Welsch some years ago in 
"Montana Belle.” 


no secret of the fact that he’d like 
to translate “Fanny” in screen 
terms. He stated in N.Y. this week 
that three major studios and one 
indie producer have been showing 
interest in picking up the screen 
rights. 

Concerning the picturization of 
musicals in general. Logan believes 
legit has showed the way. Stage 
vehicles, he says, have pioneered 
in the technique of using songs to 
convey story development, rather 
than having the tunes rendered 
independent of the plot. 

As for the high cost of screen 
rights to on-the-boards properties. 
Logan insists film producers are 
receiving plenty of value for the 
fancy prices. For example, the 
$1,000,000 being shelled out by 
Samuel Goldwyn for “Guys and 
Dolls” is a good deal for Goldwyn, 
he commented, because “Dolls” 
already is established as a click. 
In mostly all cases, Logan con- 
cluded. good plays have been 
fashioned into good pix. 


tory, the star led a procession up 
to the third floor under the firm 
guiding hand of Hollywood gabber 
Hedda Hopper. 

Not Shy on Demands 
While the “celebrities,” i.e., 
Richard Rodgers, Sidney Kingsley, 
Elsa Maxwell, etc., resumed their 
cocktailing in one room, Miss Mon- 
roe perched herself on a couch in 
the other and patiently explained 
her new philosophy, deftly side- 
stepping several queries about her 
love life and related matters. It 
was by all accounts an unusual oc- 
casion for Miss Monroe w’ho, in 
the past, has shunned reporters be- 
cause of “shyness.’’ None of that 
was apparent last week. 

The tussle-haired blonde swept 
in an hour late never bothering to 
explain her delay to the waiting re- 
porters and cameramen whose cre- 
dentials had been carefully 
checked at the door. To welcom- 
ing yells of “Where were you, 
Marilyn?” she merely flashed a 
happy smile as she swept up the 
stairs and into the embraces of 
columnists and friends. As the 
interview proceeded, she became 
progressively more serious. 

With the press informed that 
the star now considered herself “a 
free agent,” Miss Monroe explained 
that she would be president of 
Marilyn Monroe Productions, with 
photog Milton H. Greene — who’s 
doing a book on her — becoming 
v.p. Asked what she proposed to 
do in the tv field. Miss Monroe re- 
plied vaguely she wanted to have 
a part in putting shows together. 
It was suggested that she might 
not have the necessary experience 

Albany Incorporation 

Albany, Jan. 11. 

Marilyn Monroe Productions 
Inc. has been chartered to con- 
duct an entertainment, pro- 
duction, publishing and pho- 
tography business, with offices 
in New York and with capital 
stock of 200 shares, no par 
value. Address is c/o Frank 
Delaney, 60 East 42nd St. 

Irving L. Stein is a director 
and filing attorney. 

for the job, to which she replied 
that she could always learn, and 
hire the right people. 

Her Discontent 

Had she been unhappy at 20th? 
Delaney encouraged her to answer 
l that one in positive fashion. Yes, 

] she confided, she had been unhappy 
j with some of the Fox pix, particu- 
larly “River of No Return” and 
“There’s No Business Like Show- 
business.” “I don’t like myself in 
’Showbusiness’,” she confided as 
Miss Hopper lectured her on the 
advantages of being in a b.o. film 
with a good cast. 

Declaring that she’d like “the op- 
portunity to do* better,” Miss Mon- 
roe left pot a shadow of a doubt 
: that, once she returns from doing 
’ some additional shots for “Itch” 
on the Coast, she would not accept 
j another assignment from 20th 
pending settlement of the contract 
question. 

She confirmed that she was in- 
terested in doing a picture with 
director Billy Wilder, and that, in 
line with her yen for dramatic 
parts, she'd like to star in a screen 
version of Dostoievsky’s “The 
I Brothers Karamazov.” 


Dino De Laurmtiis, who copro- 
duced “Mambo” and “Ulysses” 
with Paramount, is due on the 
Queen Elizabeth today (Wed.). - 


Miss Monroe, who has left the 
Famous Artists stable, said she 
wasn’t looking around for a new 
agent at the moment. Delaney ex- 
plained she had parted company 
w ith Charles Feldman “because she 
felt a different approach was need- 
ed in dealing with 20th-Fox.” 

Would she give up her customary 
sexy parts in her new role as a 
“dramatic” actress? Miss Monroe 
, flashed her most seductive smile 
and said she wouldn’t. “I’m glad to 
1 hear it,” came the heartfelt reply. 


tertainment films for children. 
They recognized that it would be 
uneconomic but they said, in ef- 
fect, “Let us all share the bur- 
den” and so it has been since 1950 
— a fine example of all-industry co- 
operation. 

Most readers of Variety know 
how the British Film Production 
Fund is fed. In case, however, any- 
one is reading this article who 
does not know, I had better ex- 
plain. Exhibitors, with a few ex- 
ceptions, are required to pay into 
the Fund each week an amount 
based on their attendances. From 
the Fund payments are made to 
the producers of British films in 
proportion to the film rentals 
earned by each quota film, long 
and short, during the year. It 
might be thought that, as exhib- 
itors pay the Levy and producers 
receive payments from the Fund, 
the producers alone would be con- 
cerned with its distribution. This, 
however, has proved not to be the 
case. Exhibitors feel that the Levy 
comes out of their boxoffices and, 
therefore, they show a great inter- 
est in seeing that it is distributed 
and expended in a way that is ac- 
ceptable to them. Consequently 
while the allocation of money from 
the Fund for the production of 
children’s entertainment films has 
the effect of reducing the amount 
available each year for long and 
short quota films, this diversion 
from the main purpose of the Fund 
is approved by all four trade asso- 
ciations, because they are firmly of 
opinion that it would be a good 
thing for the one million young- 
sters who attend the children’s 
matinees every Saturday morning 
to be shown films of which the 
plot, motivation and ‘characteriza- 
tion are within their understand- 
ing. That desirable target will not 
be reached for some years but a 
beginning has been made and it 
is proving very encouraging. It is 
also a good thing for the industry 
to be making films which are wel- 
comed enthusiastically by the chil- 
dren themselves and by their 
parents. 

i Industry-Wide 1 

Here, then, is a project upon 
which all sections of the British 
film industry are united. A non- 
profit-making Company called 
“Children’s Film Foundation Ltd.” 
(C.F.F.) was set up in July, 1951, 
for the purpose. Each of the four 
Trade Associations nominate three 
directors. The chairman was ap- 
pointed by the four associations 
jointly. All directors serve without 
remuneration. One of the first de- 
cisions taken by the board of 
C.F.F. was to appoint Mary Field 
as Executive Officer. Miss Field 
has had long experience in the film 
industry. 

The grant from the Production* 
Fund has been approximately 
£ 125,000 ($350,000) each year. 
This grant pays for the cost of 
producing the films and the ad- 
ministrative expenses of the Com- 
pany. The small amount received 
from boxoffice receipts pays the 
cost of prints and the balance is 
returned to the Production Fund. 

The films produced are shown at 
children’s matinees usually held 
on Saturday mornings. The admis- 
sion charge is generally sixpence 
(7 cents). A program lasting 90 
minutes is supplied to exhibitors 
for a flat rental varying from £2 
• $5.60) to £3.2.6. ($8.75) for one 
showing, according to the size of 
the cinema. 

The films are not made by 
C.F.F. itself but by a number of 
contractors working under super- 
vision. Some were employed by 
the Rank organization but others 
have been encouraged and assisted 
by Miss Field in the last three 
years to undertake work of this 
kind for the first time. 

So far, 40 films have been com- 
pleted for C.F.F. They are classi- 
fied under four heads, namely, 
Features, Shorts, Interest and Pen 
; Pictures (that is, children’s travel 
pictures). Others are in produc- 
tion. The features last one hour 
and cost an average of £22,300 
($62,500) each to produce in the 
first year; in the last year the 
average cost was about £19,000 
($53,200). The features vary widely 
in subject matter. They have in- 
cluded, for example, an Alpine 
motor rally, stolen aircraft plans, 
adventures in a secret caye, a 
boy’s search for his missing don- 
key, an international mixed school 
in Scotland, stolen apes from the 


Rock of Gibraltar, and children’s 
dirt-track cycle racing. The princi- 
pal parts are played by children, 
but the cast always includes pa- 
rents and other adults. It must be 
recorded with gratitude that sev- 
eral well-known actors and ac- 
tresses have filled adult roles in 
C.F.F. films voluntarily or on gen- 
erous terms. Studio technicians 
have also shown great interest in 
this new development and are giv- 
i n g valuable assistance. In no 
C.F.F. films are revolvers, coshes 
or other cruel instruments to be 
seen. 

Yet the films' are not “namby 
pamby” or “goody-goody.” During 
the showing of C.F.F. features, a 
cinema crowded with children will 
be held in hushed silence or will 
burst into loud shouts of excite- 
ment or cheers. It is the exception 
to see a child’s attention wander 
from the screen. The quality of 
C.F.F. films has been recognized 
at the Venice Festival where they 
have won prizA each year and 
sometimes for the best entry 
among children’s films. But their 
success has created problems. 

At one time it looked as if there 
was growing up in Great Britain 
a demand among parents to re- 
strict the showing of films at chil- 
dren's matinees to C.F.F. or simi- 
lar films. If this pressure had suc- 
ceeded the number of films 
available would have been wholly 
insufficient to keep these matinees 
supplied. Fortunately, the diffi- 
culty has been eased, if not en- 
tirely overcome, by the British 
Board of Film Censors compiling 
a list of films suitable for these 
matinees. Additions are continu- 
ally being made to this list, which 
includes a large proportion of 
American pictures. The day will 
almost certainly come w-hen only 
films from this list will be allowed 
to be shown at children's matinees 
in the United Kingdom. 

Experience has brought to light 
seme problems in carrying out the 
work upon which C.F.F. is en- 
gaged. Child actors and actresses 
cannot be employed in film mak- 
ing for children for more than a 
few years. They grow too quickly. 
It is for this reason almost im- 
possible to make “serials” with 
children in the principal parts. As 
a set-off against the difficulty of 
the rapidly growing boys and girls 
employed in making films, there is 
compensation in the fact that child 
audiences change equally rapidly. 
C.F.F. expects, for this reason, to 
be able to reissue its films, which 
are made for different age groups, 
every four years. C.F.F. is thus 
working not only for today but 
for the future. 


UFA Revival 


Continued from pace 5 


(a version of Strauss’ “Die Fleder- 
maus”) with Britain's Powell & 
Pressburger team. 

The Carlton exec said German 
producers were still primarily con- 
cerned with their domestic market, 
but were gradually getting away 
from themes tending to confine 
their product to Germany alone. 
There have been discussions in 
Germany re a more vigorous ex- 
ploitation of German films abroad, 
and particularly the U. S., with 
Podhorzer’s UGFE, which already 
reps a number of important Ger- 
man producers and . exporters, 
prominently considered to do the 
job. Immediate problem is a lack 
of adequate funds. Export Union 
has been set up in Frankfurt to 
grapple with the problem of the 
German pix abroad. 

Lester said attempts to sell the 
UFA properties were continuing, 
but the price was high and a sale 
unlikely. He saw the UFA rees- 
tablished in from two to three 
years. It’s already active via a con- 
nection with Capitol Film in Ber- 
lin. Lester felt UFA W'as likely to 
remain state-owned. Under the 
Nazis, it provided the government 
with one of its most powerful 
propaganda weapons. After the 
war, the Allied Liquidation Com- 
mission took over the UFA concern 
which later was turned over to a 
German trusteeship setup. 

Regarding reports of German 
pressure to restrict the import of 
American pix, Lester expressed 
doubt that such attempts would be 
successful under the present Bonn 
government which is committed to 
a free trade policy. 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 




RADIO-TELE YISIOX 


25 


THE TOP 10 TRADE STORIES 


CBS Color Cutback 

Although it’ll be unattended by any fanfare, CBS will only 
give cursory attention to color programming for the balance of 
*55, with the network reportedly cutting back drastically on its 
original plan to rotate all the commercial network entries wfith 
a one-time tint exposure.* This was the. practice, pursued by NBC 
during the ’53-’54 season, and like NBC. Columbia has been paying 
the cost differential between black-and-white and color rather 
than saddling the client with the additional tab. 

The two major one-a-month color shows on CBS will remain 
undisturbed. These are the Chrysler-sponsored “Shower of Stars” 
on Thursdays and Westinghouse’s “Best of Broadway” on Wednes- 
days. However, virtually all else on the network roster will 
revert back to monochrome. 

Move is interpreted as reflecting the Frank Stanton-Bill Paley 
attitude toward color in general, with neither bullish at the 
moment over its prospects, at least for the immediate future. 
There have been reports that CBS will abandon its manufacture 
of color tv sets, but this has been denied. Nonetheless, it’s under- 
stood that there have been wholesale layoffs on the Danvers, 
Mass., color tube assembly line. 

Last week CBS-Columbia, the manufacturing arm, put out a 
statement that it was entering the manufacture of closed-circuit 
industrial color television equipment. 


‘Home s Big Roadshow Payoff 



A belated lookback at the major 
intra-trade events during *54 would 
suggest Top 10 laurels scattered 
thusly, though not necessarily in 
the order named: 

1. The Jackie Gleason-Ed Sulli- 
van deals, which are indicative of 
a fresh wave of bargaining by top 
talent in ’55 to solidify their finan- 
cial future. 

2. The advent of the spectaculars 
as the era of the Pat Weaver con- 
cept of big-big-big programming 
introduced a marked change in 
sponsor buying patterns. 

3. The Mario Lanza fiasco on 
“Shower of Stars.” with the 
“$40,000 lip reading” episode par- 
layed into a Page 1 tv scandal. 

4. The ratification of “Five Plus 
Two” (permitting multiple owner- 
ship of five V’s and two U’s). 

5. The stepdown of Milton Biow’ 
in disposing of his majority agency 


Chi ln-Per»on Exposure of NBC-TV Daytimer Ha, ^‘Sf^rfchiirT.n^nyfh.' 

Host of Advantages No. 1 asency story of the year 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

While the final tab hasn’t yet 
been toted up for the five-day visit 
here by NBC-TV’s “Home” last 
week, web execs, especially the 
sales staffers, calculate the road- 
show' is paying off big. Not only is 
the “let’s look at the country and 
let’s let the country look at us” 
junket sparking additional viewer 
interest with it’s hometown ex- 
posures and attendant ballyhoo, 
but the Windy City stopover af- 
forded unique goodwill opportuni- 
ties in the client relations depart- 
ment. 

Much of the week’s activities by 
Arlene Francis-Hugh Downs & Co. 
was devoted to department store 
personal appearances plugging the 
wares of such top midwest adver- 
tisers as Crosley-Bendix, Bissell 
and Sunbeam, all of whom, of 
course, are regular “Home” ten- 
ants. On the show itself which 
emanated from the Chi NBC head- 
quarters in the Merchandise Mart, 
currently the site of the spring fur- 
niture convention, there were pick- 
ups from the various showrooms, 
spotlighting the “friends.” 

A. C. Spectorsky and his advance 
crew laid out tieins with the State 
St. Council and the Greater North 
Michigan Ave. Assn, for window 
streamers in the stores along these 
(Continued on page 46) 


Sullivan-Lorre 
TV Series on Tap 


dvantages No. 1 agency story of the year. 

• o. Ed Murrow’s courageous slap- 

down of Joe McCarthy. 

I,..* I ilr* R»nl 7. The sad fate of network radio. 

just bnce itea 8 CBS , liftlng of the veil of tv 

If Henry Hull, Thomas timidity with its on-the-air edi- 

Mitchell and James Daly get torializing. 

seasick the night of Feb. 15, it 9 The a i nl ost revolutionary pull- 

won t be tor lack of television back of cigaret companies as one 

realism. Trio will star on “U. S. of the top spen ders in tv. w ith 

Steel Hour s production of Philip Morris inviting shared spon- 

“Freighter,’ an original tele- sor ship on “I Love Lucy” and other 

play by George Lowther. The- compan ies following suit, 

atre Guild and director Alex 10 The big ques tion mark on 
Segal have sent set designer co i or tv - s f u t U re. 

Albert Heschong down to the . 

Isthmanian Line in Brooklyn’s inn iit ii?» i n 

Erie Basin to study ship in- AKL WOOS W IDCtldl 

teriors, and the entire set will _ _ 

be the inside of a freighter pQf {*tlll HOUr MOW, 

the stars woozy is the fact that TWlt^rc Sinatra PiY 

the entire set will be mounted I/IvnCIo dllldll a 1 IA 

' on 30-foot-long rockers which ABC-TV is seriously talking to 
will be in continuous motion Walter Winchell about expanding 
throughout the performance. his quarter-hour Sunday night 

news show to a full hour in the 
fall, with the Hearst-syndicated 
„ T..L fj ' _ columnist to preside over a legit- 

imnr llllai I Mil film-and-vaudeville format that 

vvlvl * UWV • 1 1 w would present scenes from ‘top up- 

_ ^ . coming films, sketches or scenes 

J L.. Dr A from current Broadway legiters 

■ IlV |\|. A and live new acts. At the same 

^•®*^**^'* * time, the network is dickering with 

Frank Sinatra to star in his own 
T O Hr* 1 17 half-hour musical stanza. 

I ft tiTlllir I llll | Jf A B °lh deals are still in the talk- 
a V A 1111 »Jm it j ng s t a g e , Sinatra reportedly likes 

. « . , , the idea, but is tied to several 

RCA is determined to make color p j c ture commitments. Web is dis- 
tv an economic reality this year, cuss j n g the possibility of his doing 
to judge from its latest move. W. t be show from the Coast, even 
Walter Watts, executive v.p. over talkin g abo ut putting it on film 
electronic products, has announced s0 that sinat ra could make per- 
an immediate price cut in the com- sona | appearances as well as fulfill 
pany’s 21-inch color tub©, from mo tjon picture commitments. 
$175 to $100. .The reduction is ex- § c f ar no deal, but discussions 
pected to spur color teleset manu- are reported 1° be i n the serious 
facturers in the production of re- stage 

ceivers. High cost of the tube has p e winchell expansion, it’s 


Color Tube Price 
Slashed by RCA 
To Spur Tint Era 


Plans are shaping up for an apparently been one factor in de- ' fi g Ured that winchell can call his 
uly shooting of the pilot on the laying mass manufacture of tintele ! , . n ta t ont r,i m c i; DS and i e git- 


p I - - shots on talent, film clips and legit- 

] . ecl , e 1 ^.? ncis Sdllivan-Peter sets. ers v j a b j s powerful stature as a 

r^orre telefilm series to be called W’atts said the reduction is made Broadw'ay columnist. Still unsettled 
the Getter and the Holder.” possible “by RCA manufacturing j s the question of how he would 
Originally it was planned as a techniques recently achieved which fit his newscast into the format. 
Coast entry, but the fact that Sul- | permit substantial economies in Though Winchell is said to be 
livan is now. identified with one of the production of the tube. The warm to the idea of the full-hour 
tlie major Broadway legit clicks of picture tube is the heart of color variety segment, discussions have 
the season. “Witness for the television. RCA Is confident that been postponed for a couple of 
Prosecution,” has cued a change of its present type 21-inch tube is the weeks w-hile Winchell is in Florida 
plans, with result that the series best and most economical answer an d ABC prexy Bob Kintner is on 
will roll in New York. Fact that to the problem of moving color the Coast. Show, which would air 
Lorre, too. turned in a perform- television ‘off the grodnd’ and into from 9 to 10 Sunday nights, is 
ance that won him plaudits on last (Continued on page 46) planned as a full entry. 


Watts said the reduction is made j Broadw'ay columnist. Still unsettled 
possible “by RCA manufacturing , i s the question of how he would 


ance that won him plaudits on last 
week’s CBS-TV “Arsenic and Old 
Lace’’ has prompted the decision 
to step up plans for the series and 
start shooting as soon as possible. 

Getter” is planned as a network 
entry, with the major webs already 
manifesting interest. 

Hausman’s New Status 

Hausman is moving out of 
CBS-Columbia, the set manufac- 
turing arm of CBS, where he was 
Ao. 2 in command under prexy 
Seymour Mintz. He shifts over 
° CBS. Inc., the corporate 
setup, as veepee to handle special 

assignments. 

Prior to his CBS-Columbia re- 
gime, Hausman was administrative 
veepee for CBS Radio. He has 
been with the company since 1940. 


planned as a fall entry. 


- TV X-Ray Hits Blind Spot 

The projected 90-minute examination and X-ray of the televi- 
sion industry for the CBS-TV “Omnibus” show' has hit a serious 
snag. Not that it’ll be knocked off. The Radio-TV Workshop of 
the Ford Foundation says it’ll go ahead with the project, but ob- 
viously it can’t be the same. 

The bottleneck from all indications stems from the fact that 
NBC doesn’t want any part of it, meaning that any assistance in 
terms of talent, use of kinnies, background data and supplementary 
addenda won’t be forthcoming. And the Radio-TV W'orkshop 
figures any exacting study of the onward-and-upward march of tv 
can’t possibly be complete without NBC-RCA figuring in the pic- 
ture in an important way. 

NBC, it’s understood, is of tjie opinion that the “Omnibus” 
appraisal may subject the network to a pan, and why risk the 
chance, particularly on another network? 

Working script is being blueprinted by radio-tv critic John 
Crosby. 


NBC Buying Out Kagran Interest In 
‘Howdy’ as Merchandising Fillip 


You Never Know! 

George Gobel’s present ac- 
claim as the standout “new” 
comic of this season throws 
into ironic relief a little-known 
fact. As long ago as May, 1947, 
Gobel was called to the atten- 
tion of the CBS Program Plans 
Board by IL Leslie Atlass of 
WBBM, Chicago. 

This was before the CBS tal- 
ent raids on NBC and the Paley 
web was then desperate for 
comics, even seriously con- 
sidering importing Tommy 
Handley from Britain. 



NBC-TV Hartford 
U Buy a Blow To 
Morency’s Hopes 


NBC’s purchase over the week- 
end of WNBK-TV and radio station 
WNBK in New' Britain. Conn., 

, thus giving the network its initial 
i UHF acquisition under the five- 
i plus-two FCC ruling, is seen as a 
major blow’ to the aspirations of 
I Paul W. Morency. the managerial 
; factotum of WTIC in Hartford, 
whose affiliation allegiance to NBC 
dates back many years. Morency 
over the years has been the spark- 
plug of NBC-affiliate powwows on 
matters of policy, etc., and as an 
industry leader his activities have 
invariably had an NBC identity as 
well as that of a station operator. 

Morency on behalf of the WTIC 
ownership (Travelers Insurance 
Co.) is currently involved in hear- 
ings for acquisition of Hartford’s 
upcoming VHF channel, competing 
with Harry Butcher, of Santa Bar- 
bara (also in the NBC affiliate 
family). Morency was pinning his 
hopes on an NBC-TV affiliation, 
in the event of a grant. But the 
network’s decision to latch on to 
the New Britain U (whose 1,000.- 
000-watt transmitter will permit 
blanketing of the Hartford-New 
Haven area as well) blasts any such 
hopes. 

0 

Purchase now gives NBC six 
o&o tv stations and six radio sta- 
tions. It still has a U to go and 
from all indications there’s a 
Frisco gleam in the network’s eye. 
(NBC would much rather acquire 
KRON-TV, the San Francis' a 
Chronicle’s lucrative V stati.n 
(Continued on page 40) 

ALAN GALE TV SHOW 
AUDITIONED FOR NBC 

On the prowl for new' talent, 
NBC is underwriting an audition 
for a half-hour tv comedy series 
starring Alan Gale. Designed as a 
film series, pilot will be shot in 
New York under production aegis 
of Irving Mansfield, now operating 
on his own under Ted Ashley 
management since resigning CBS. 
Projected show is a Mansfield 
package, with Gale also having a 
financial stake in it. 

This would be Gale’s entry into 
either radio or tv. Currently head- 
ing up his own Alan Gale Club in 
N. Y., he is more familiar to the 
nitery circuits. NBC plans a night- 
time showcasing. 

They Love Benny in N. Y. 

Despite the fact that he only has 
alternate-week exposure. Jack 
Benny is the No. 3 Nielsen fave 
among tv viewers in the N.Y. area. 
Nielsen report for Dec. 11 project- 
ed Benny into an almost neck-and- 
neck status with “Lucy,” trailing 
the latter by only a point. 

Jackie Gleason is in No. 1 spot 
with 48.9. “Lucy” copped a 42.5 
with Benny garnering 41.1. Other 
highlights of N.Y. polling: “Drag- 
net” down to No. 9; Milton Berle 
No. 10. 


NBC will soon be the sole owner 
of “Howdy Doody,” currently final- 
izing a deal with Lehman Bros, for 
the takeover of Kagran’s interest In 
the tv property. (Kagran is a subsid 
of the banking house and has been 
concerned primarily with mer- 
chandising, with “Howdy” as its 
major holding. Kagran also sup- 
plied the show’s scripts. Kagran 
acquired its interest in “Howdy” 
through a $1,000,000 deal nego- 
tiated a few' years back with Mar- 
tin Stone, creator of the show, and 
Bob Smith, the program’s major 
personality.) NBC takeover report- 
edly will involve a sum in excess of 
$500,000. 

Until now NBC has handled all 
the production facets of the day- 
time tv show, w ith Kagran assuming 
the merchandising and script bur- 
den. Henceforth, the latter aspects 
would revert to NBC as an added 
fillip in particular to the network’s 
merchandising setup. 

Decision of Lehman Bros, to un- 
load the Kagran interest in 
“Howdy” reportedly stems from 
the revelation that Walt Disney is 
about to embark on his own cross- 
the board daytime tv programming 
(and supplementary merchandising) 
via his ABC tieup and figures that 
the Disney competition could be 
pretty rough. The NBC acquisition 
presumably would end Stone’s con- 
nection with the property since 
he’s an officer of Kagran. Just how 
Bob Smith, with his own financial 
stake in “Howdy,” fits into the 
future picture is not determined, 
aside from his “In-person” status 
on the show. 


McConnaughey’s 
Naming Up Again 

Washington, Jan. lfc 

President Eisenhower yesterday 
(Mon.) resubmitted to the Senate 
the nomination of George C. Mc- 
Connaughey as FCC Chairman. 
McConnaughey was given a recess 
appointment last fall but efforts 
! by his sponsor. Sen. Charles W. 
Bricker (R.. O.), to have him con- 
firmed during the recent spec**! 
session were b’oeked by Democ’*"*«. 

Sen. Warren Magnuson <D.- 
Wash.), who takes over this week 
as chairman of the Interstate Com- 
I p<~ -e Committee, succeeding 
r oker, plans to call a hearing 
«>ext week to consider the nomina- 
tion. Whether any opposition will 
develop is uncertain but several 
Democrats on the committee have • 
indicated dissatisfaction with Mc- 
Connaughey’s qualifications. 

One question almost certain to 
be raised is McConnaughey’s for- 
mer identification through his 
legal practice in Ohio, with the 
Ohio Bell Telephone Co. in pro- 
ceedings before Ohio Public 
Service Commission for increased 
rates. McConnaughey was for- 
merly chairman of the Ohio Com- 
mission. FCC has jurisdiction 
over interstate telephone rates. 

COE CHECKS OUT OF 
TALENT ASSOCIATES 

Fred Coe has quietly divested 
himself from any affiliation with 
Talent Associates. The latter, re- 
sponsible for several major shows 
on NBC-TV, including the Philco- 
Goodyear “Television Playhouse,” 
has for several years functioned as 
Coe’s agent and they rose together 
as a bigleague factor In the produc- 
tion of original dramatics. 

Coe, who has a longterm pact 
with NBC, was relieved of “TV 
Playhouse” as the production fac- 
tortum when he pacted with "Lux 
Video Theatre” as a consultant 
with emphasis on scripts in a set- 
up that has since been dissolved. 
Coe retains his production hold on 
“Mister Peepers.” starring Wally 
Cox, and as mastermind on the 
every-fourth-Monday “Producer* 
Showcase” spectaculars. 



26 


ItAMO-TBIf VISION 


Slim Chance of Any Drastic Policy 
Change for NCAA Grid in ’55 


Telecasters came away from the < 
National Collegiate Athletic Assn, 
meetings of last week with the 
view that collegiate athletic chiefs, 
as a body, are the most static men 
they’ve ever had to deal with. 
Though a final decision as to ex- 
actly what kind of video coverage 
will be allowed in college grid 
will be left until later in the month 
when the new NCAA-TV commit- 
tee can hand down its decision, in- 
dustryites and sports reporters 
alike were of the impression that, 
with a minor modification here or 
there, tv and football will have 
the same tightly restricted mating 
as in the ’54 season, 

A straw vote taken at the meet- 
ing of college planners showed 84 
of thm to be in favor of a slightly 
relaxed version of the last NCAA- 
TV plan, which restricted cover- 
age to one carefully chosen game 
a week; 81 members were In favor 
of the old plan itself; but there 
were only 37 votes for a national- 
regional type setup which *1) pro- 
vides the usual eight NCAA 
regions; '2> colleges be allowed 
unlimited local coverage on home 
games and one time on an away 
game; <3> schools be permitted to 
telecast across regional lines at 
least once during the season; «4) a 
school be restricted to either 
regional or national televising but 
not both and. (5> schools be al- 
lowed to negotiate own tv deals 
with consent of game opponents. 
Two other alternatives for han- 
dling tv and college football next 
season received no more than five 
votes total, so it looks like the old 
plan (with minor changes) sparked 
bv the Eastern Collegiate Athletic 
Conference’s 101 voting members 
(the largest single block in NCAA), 
will hold forth in ’55. That is. 
unless the Big 10 Conference, 
which had strongly voiced tavor 
of a regional plan, causes fright 
by withdrawing from the org as 
promised if its recommendations 
aren’t adopted. This, though, is 
seen by some Big lOers themselves 
and certainly other NCAA mem- 
bers as not much of a genuine pos- 
sibility. 

More ‘Liberal* Choice of Games 

But to mollify the Big 10 and the 
tele networks, the NCAA-TV com- 
mittee is expected to allow more 
elas^eity in choice of nationally 
televised games next fall. Instead 
of restricting the setup to a game 
from each area, the setup calls for 
more ‘liberal” 'not clearly de- 
(Continued on page 44) 


NBC Radio’s Det Setup 

Chicago, Jan. 11., 
Importance of Detroit as a source 
of network coin has been formally 
recognized by NBC. 

Web is setting up a sales office 
in the motor city to be managed 
by Robert (Bud) Swats Jr., who 
has been working out of the Cht 
central division headquarters since 
he joined NBC in 1952. 


GE’s $2,000,000 
Radio-TV Center 


Schenectady, Jan. 11. 

Construction by General Electric 
Co. of a $2,000,000 radio and tele- 
vision center, including a studio 
designed specifically for color 
videocasting, will be started soon, 
in the Schenectady area, for com- 
pletion by mid-1956. The site will 
be selected within 30 days, accord- 
ing to Roiert'B. Hanna, Jr„ man- 
ager of GE broadcasting stations. 

The center, occupying nearly an 
acre of land, will include three 
television and two radio studios — 
for use by WRGB and WGY, now- 
housed in separate buildings at 
the GE main plant. It will be not 
only a television setup surpassing. 
GE says, these in larger cities like 
Cleveland and Detroit, but also a 
transmitter sales stimulus and prob- 
ably, in certain respects, a com- 
pany laboratory-study project. All 
present color studio operations, 
nation-wide, are adaptations, not 
original designs. GE states. 

The largest studio will be an 
auditorium seating 300, big enough 
to accomodate a symphony orches- 
tra or a moving automobile. A 
giant master control room of more 
than 4.000 square feet will provide 
control for radio and television. 


Lotsa ABC Hoopla To 
Commemorate 20th Anni 
For Block’s ’Ballroom’ 

ABC is shooting the works on 
Martin Block’s 20th anni celebra- 
tion of his "Make Believe Ball- 
room” stanza. Radio network will 
air approximately five hours and 
20 minutes of his all-star show from 
the Manhattan Centre, N. Y., on 
Feb. 3. while locally, W ABC will 
carry six boors and 40 minutes. On 
tv, the network will pick up a por- 
tion of the show — how much hasn’t 
been determined yet — while 
WABC-TV will carry nearly two 
and one-half hours. 

Block is coupling the show, 
which will run in two portions for 
some six and one-half hours on 
Feb. 3. with the March of Dimes 
campaign, with all proceeds of the 
show going to the polio drive. Al- 
ready booked for the segments, 
which will run from 2:35 to 6:45 
in the afternoon and from 8 to 
10:30 at night, are Jackie Gleason, 
Julius LaRosa, Teresa Brewer, Don 
Cornell, Kitty Kallen, the DeMar- 
co Sisters. Denise Lor, the Mc- 
Guire Sisters, Joel Grey and the 
Chordettes. 

Radio web will carry the hoopla 
from 2:35 to 6 p. m. and 8 to 9:55, 
while WABC radio will carry it in 
its entirety. WABC-TV will tele- 
vise the affair from 2:35 to 4:30 
and from 8 to 8:30 that night. It 
was on Feb. 3, 1935, that Block 
started his "Make Believe Ball- 
room” on WNEW, N. Y. He moved 
over to ABC last January. » 


Philco’s Desmond 


NARTB NAMES SITRICK 

Washington. Jan. 11. 

National Assn, of Radio and TV 
Broadcasters has appointed Joseph 
M. Sitrick, assistant chief of the 
Voice of America international 
press service, to the new post of 
Manager of Publicity and Informa- 
tional Services. 

His duties were formerly under 
John H. Smith. Jr., who recently 
resigned as Manager of Public Af- 
fairs to join the Chrysler Corp. in 
Detroit. 


Looks Like Lamb 
Case Is Heading 
For an Impasse 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Federal Communications Com- 
mission’s inquiry into charges of 
misrepresentation by broadcaster- 
publisher Edward Lamb regarding 
alleged onetime Communist asso- 
ciations have come to something 
of an impasse. With the govern- 
ment’s affirmative case apparent- 
ly concluded, Lamb, through his 
attorneys, have petitioned Exam- 
iner Herbert Sharfman to call the 
whole thing off. In view of the lack 
of "any credible evidence of any 
consequence” against Lamb, they 
have contended, further hearings 
would be only ‘‘an extravagant 
waste of time and effort” to all 
concerned. 

Hearings are presently set to 
(Continued on page 46) 


Coin (or Mutual 

Atlantic City, Jan. 11. 

Johnnie Desmond, who has been 1 
on Don McNeil s “Breakfasf Club” 
for the past nine years, will be fea- 
tured on a new' show. "Phonorama 
Time.” sponsored by Philco over i 
the Mutual network Saturdays at 
11 a. m. starting the second week 
in February. 

Raymond B. George, v.p. in 
charge of merchandising for the 
Philco Corp., announced the new 
program to 1600 distributors at- 
tending Philco’s winter convention 
meeting here in the Warner The- 
atre. George said the program will 
be aimed at teenagers with Des- 
mond to have as a guest artist each 
week a well-known disk jockey. 
Show will be for half hour, and 
will be aired over 565 stations to a 
potential audience of 3,127.000. 
Sale of Philco phonographs is pro- 
gram's objective. 


McGannon Exits DuM 

Donald H. McGannon. the No. 2 
man in the DuMont network setup, 
ankled the network this week after 
sevefal years at the web. McGan- 
non. who was assistant director of 
the web under Ted Bergmann and 
also helmed the DuMont owned 
stations as general manager in 
charge of the o&o’s. is said to have 
felt that in light of the sale of 
WDTV in Pittsburgh to Westing- 
house and other cutbacks at the 
web. many of his responsibilities 
were cut out from under him. 

He’s talking to several parties 
about a new spot, among them 
Westinghouse, where his old boss, 
Chris Witting, is prexy. He hasn't 
signed a deal yet, however. 


Ready, Witting & Able 

The one-year after saga of Chris Witting as prexy of the West- 
inghouse stations adds up to one of the major upbeat yarns in 
the industiv — encompassing a span in which Westinghouse proj- 
ected itself as one of the more vital components in the ‘‘owned & 
operated” sphere. 

The FCC's okay last week of the Westinghouse purchase* of 
Pittsburgh’s WDTV from Allen B. DuMont for $9,750,000 (the big- 
gest chunk of coin* ever involved in a station transfer) came as 
something in the nature of a birthday token, virtually day-and- 
date with Witling's inheritance of his one-year stripe as the 
Westinghouse broadcasting factotum. 

It was a year which saw Witting move from tv (as DuMont 
managing director) into an entirely new’ sphere of operation ior 
him — radio, devoting nine out . of 10 w orkiag , 4iouj* s daily as 
Westingnouse Broadcasting Co. prexy to the AM side knd in the 
process transforming a ‘‘sick baby” into a healthy, solid offspring. 
It was a year that saw five 50.000-watt WBC stations hike their 
dollar volume in local sales by 30 r r, with one station announcing 
a 53 r c rise; another 42 r e, a third by 36% add time' fourth by 10 r c. 
(Fifth matched its ’53 earnings.) 

It was a year which saw Witting parlay the Westinghouse station 
property valuations to $75,000,000 through acquisition of KPIX 
in San Francisco for $6 000.000 and only recently WDTV in Pitts- 
burgh. (Westinghouse now has radio stations in Boston. Spring- 
field, Philadelphia. Pittsburgh. Portland and Fort Wayne; tv sta- 
tions in Boston. Philadelphia, San Francisco and Pittsburgh, with 
an appeal hanging fire on its Portland tv application.) 

It was a year which saw Witting zing up the combined program- 
ming operations by bringing in Dick Pack <ex-WRCA AM&TV, 
ex -WNEW) as WBC’s national program chief, this in turn culminat- 
ing in a succession of talent contracts (Moon Mullins at KEX; 
Rege Cordic at KDKA; Mac MacGuire at KYW; Thomas A. Ben- 
nett Jr., as program manager of KDKA), with resultant hypos all 
along the line. To top it off, Pack is currently negotiating for a 
Bob & Ray return to their Boston home base via a cross-the-board 
5 to 6 WBZ show to be taped in New York. So effective has been 
‘‘Operations Pack” that NBC, it’s understood, is planning to -fol- 
low suit and name a national program manager for its o&o stations. 

And as Witting assembled the top management teams of the 
combined radio operations in New York last week to blueprint 
‘‘Operations ’55” (in which tv talk was totally absent) there was 
an unmistakable air of cockiness over the bright AM prospects, in 
national sales, local sales, programming and ratings, in which every- 
body pledged a "ready, Witting and able” allegiance to the boss 
man. 


^ edneidijr, January 12, 1955 


Sunbeam’s $50,000 Frown 

Perrin Paus, agency on the Sunbeam account, put up a $50,000 
squawk last week when the Max Liebman Sunday night ‘‘Good 
Times” spec only allotted 31 minutes of the hour-and-a-half attrac- 
tion as Sunbeam’s portion of the show while the co-sponsor, Hazel 
Bishop, was given 59 minutes. Each of the two clients share 
equally with 45 minutes apiece. 

Situation arose when the early portion of the show ran over- 
time. This necessitated some last-minute reschedulings, with 
result that the commercial allocations came out lopsided. Perrin 
Paus screamed the next day and demanded a readjustment op 
the cost to the client. About $50,000 in rebate was involved and 
NBC agreed to rectify matters. 

Sunbeam and Hazel Bishop pay $150,000 each per spec. 

Dallas, Too, Chimes in With 

A ‘Get Out of Town’ Plea to TV 

♦ Dallas. 


Hubbard Hood Upped 

Cincinnati. Jan. 11. 

Hubbard Hood, WKRC sales 
manager for the past three years, 
has been upped to general mana- 
ger of the station. 

The post had been served by 
David G. Taft, executive vice presi- 
dent of Radio Cincinnati, Inc., com- 
prising radio and tv operations. 

Liebman, NBC 
In Pact Huddles 

Max, Liebman’s contract with 
NBC-TV. to which he is committed 
for the 1954-55 season of weekend 
“color specials,” is in the process 
of being renegotiated. It’s under- 
stood that under the new* pact, 
made before expiration of the 
of the original first-year papers, 
1 the weekend color spectaculars will 
be under more rigid control by 
sponsors. As a matter of fact, the 
underwriters ( Oldsmobile for the 
one-a-month Saturday shows and 
Sunbeam and Hazel Bishop for the 
Sunday specolas) have long since 
stepped in to exercise greater con- 
trol, but the new clauses are an 
attempt to legalize the authority. 

| The talent phase of the big-big 
90-minute stanzas may be a stick- 
I ler. Liebman has a number of 
name and other performers under 
his wing, but he could not use 
them as freely as he wants where 
control of formats, etc., is vested 
; in the sponsors. 


TV ‘GAME OF WEEK’ 
SCRAPPED BY ABC 

The televised baseball ‘‘Game of 
the Week,” which for the past two 
years has been carried by ABC-TV 
on Saturdays for Falstaff Beer plus 
a co-op net, will probably find a 
new home this year. ABC-TV has 
decided to drop the feature after 
meeting with Falstaff execs last 
week. Web claims that the brewery 
wanted to cut the package price 
to the point where it wouldn’t 
prove profitable to carry the games. 

Web has contracts for network 
coverage with three teams, Cleve- 
land. the Chicago White Sox and 
Brooklyn, but will probably turn 
the rights over to Falstaff. who is 
shopping at the other nets, with 
CBS-TV reportedly most interested 
in picking up the games and cur- 
rently negotiating with Dancer- 
Fitzgerald-Sample, Falstaff’s agen- 
cy. ABC-TV will remain dark on 
Saturday afternoons next summer. 

NBC-TV is considering putting 
on a ‘‘Game of the Week” on its 
own. riding it as a sustainer, if 
necessary. 


WCBS-TV Daytime Biz 

WCBS-TV, the New York flag- 
ship of CBS, has wrapped up two 
substantial schedules of daytime 
business, with one of them unusual 
it not unprecedented in local tele- 
vision. Schaefer Beer has been 
pacted for 10-second spots on a 16- 
a-week ride in what shapes as the 
biggest daytime drive by a lager 
outfit. Contract starts Jan. 24. 

In the other deal, My-T-Fine, 
currently with a fat and exclusive 
sked on major rival WRCA-TV, 
is the NBC key. switching a major 
portion of t lie budget — about 60 r c 
of its $5,200 weekly outlay for 
'♦pots. to WCBS-TV. Remaining on 
the NBC o&o are spots basically in 
and adjacent to kid-slanted shows. 
Reshuffle starts Jan. 22. 


Editor, Variety: 

Just as the average human is 
blind to the good qualities of his 
| "in-laws” — so the networks seem 
to overlook the abilities of their 
• affiliates. In so doing, they are 
missing a chance to strengthen 
j television as an entertainment and 
information medium — missing a 
chance to add new life and scope 
to network programming. 

During the formative days of the 
industry, each affiliate was fully 
occupied with the job of whipping 
into shape the type of local or- 
ganization best suited to its needs. 

' Operating In temporary quarters 
with skeleton crews and always 
i struggling to ‘‘get out of the red,’’ 

! most stations were in no position 
to devote time and talent to a net- 
work feed. Now, the picture has 
! changed. From the standpoints of 
technical facilities, personnel and 
know-how, many stations are well 
qualified to act as extensions of 
; the network’s program and engi- 
neering departments. 

WFAA-TV, for example, has 
supplied a wide range of telecasts 
to nationwide audiences. Style 
shows, exhibition baseball, grid- 
! iron contests <such as the annual 
Cotton Bowl classic and NCAA 
! games) and news pickups have 
been handled by our staff mem- 
bers, working alone or with net- 
work representatives. Actually, we 
! are able to supply service on pick- 
ups much more complicated than 
any requested so far. All of the 
news feeds, for example, have 
been limited to studio originated 
or filmed segments. There is no 
1 reason why live remote origina- 
tions could not be used, if only to 
add background. Increased use of 
this technique could lift network 
newscasts to a new high by lend- 
ing an air of immediacy that the 
(Continued on page 40) 

Major Leagues’ 
200G to Liberty 

Chicago. Jan. 11. 

Compromise settlement of the 
$12,000,000 antitrust suit filed 
against 13 major league baseball 
clubs by the bankrupt Liberty 
1 Broadcasting System has been 
agreed to by both sides. Under 
terms which must be okayed by 
the Bankruptcy Court, hall clubs 
will pay Liberty $200,000 for dis- 
missal of suit charging them with 
illegal restrictions on baseball 
broadcasts. 

Case was filed in U. S. District 
j Court here in February. 1951. and 
was due to be tried April 18. 

HAL MARCH TESTED 
AS COCA REGULAR 

Imogene Coca, who’s ‘‘tried out'* 
I more than half a dozen male sup- 
ports since launching her NBC-TV 
Saturday nighter last fall, will 
have a new vis-a-vis in Hal March. 
However, the web is going easy 
on championing March as a main- 
stay for the comedienne. He's 
down officially for a pair of suc- 
cessive shots, on Jan. 22 and 29, 
with his future status on the show 
to be judged on the basis of those 
two outings. (Some weeks ago. a 
William Morris Agency staffer let 
out word that Jack Carter was to 
' join the Coca show’ as a regular, 
hut that proved unfounded and 
Carter has been set instead for • 
l series of cafe dates). 


VTe<ln«*§<Iajs Jannary 12, 1955 


ItADIO-TEEEYVSlOX 


27 



‘NO DEATH IN THE AFT.’ 


TV and Art 


nnloe between Ed Murrow and Francis Henry Taylor, director 
( i the Metropolitan Museum of Art, N. Y., on CBS-TV’s “Person 

to Person” last Friday (7): - 

Muirow: Well now, this is something I ve been wanting to ask 
‘ I* there any place for television in art's future? 

• Tavlor: I would think that television is the most important 
vehicle for the dissemination of art that has ever come to hand. 
1 think it is just as important as the invention of printing in the 
full Century. After all. before words, we had picturegrams, we 
had images to express ideas; and today we are able, through tele- 
vision to transmit ideas in visual form to mass audiences who 
have never had that type of visual experience in their lives, and 
1 think that we will see in the future that museums particularly 
will devote more of their energies to broadcasting exhibitions 
lust as the symphony orchestras and opera are broadcasting classi- 
cal music to immense publics today. 

Murrow: What do you think is wrong with television now? 
Taylor: Well. I think that it's a gadget that the people who are 
in the field haven’t qu.te got the idea how to use it. and I think 
that sooner or later we re going to move away from the soap opera 
into more serious entertainment, things that people really want. 


NARTB to Study TV Viewer 

Attitudes on Wine, Beer Plugs 


Miami Beach, Jan. 11. 

National Assn, of Radio and TV 
Broadcasters is planning a study of 
tv viewer attitudes in connection 
with advertising of wine and beer. 
Assn, prexy Harold E. Fellows re- 
ualed here today «Tues.» in an 
address to the U. S. Brewers 
Foundation. 

Fellows also disclosed that 
NARTB is planning" to expand its 
tv Code Review Board’s monitor- 
ing and reporting service. These 
plans, he said, were reported to 
the House Interstate Commerce 
Committee in complying with a re- 
quest for information on steps 
taken and proposed to be taken 
by the broadcasting industry to re- 
duce wine and beer commercials. 

Committee, in a report last Au- 
gust. suggested that (radio and tv> 
beer and wine advertising be elim- 
inated or curtailed through volun- 
tar\ action of the broadcasting in- 
dustry. Report was issued in con- 
nection with the Bryson Bill to out- 
law interstate advertising through 
all media of alcoholic beverages. 

NARTB has advised the commit- 
tee that beer and wine commer- 
cial-. on tv have been considerably 
toned down. Fellows told the 
brewers. Assn., he said. ;has re- 
ported to Congress: “What was 
once a growing tendency toward 
objectionable techniques in the 
dramatized presentation of these 
products has been substantially re- 
duced. Certain sequences which 
have been regarded as irritating 
to -ome viewers such as excessive 
(Continued on page 42 a 


‘Space’ Spectacular 

RCA is off on the most am- 
bitious venture of its career. 
The giant electronics company 
threatens t® do what no one in 
America has been able to ac- 
complish: find parking soace. 
Space spotting is achieved via 
the “TV Eye”' developed by 
RCA. The closed-circuit spot- 
ter has already gone into ac- 
tion at Oakland. Calif. It’s used 
by the Downtown Merchants 
Parking Assn, there to enable 
an attendant at entrance booth 
to detect vacant areas on the 
car lot. 

“TV Eye” camera, compact 
and light in weight, is mounted 
on a light standard overlook- 
ing the lot and connected to a 
21-inch tv receiver installed in 
the entrance booth. When a 
motorist drives into the lot. the 
attendant, without leaving his 
stand, has only to looksee the 
telescreen to locate a vacancy. 

Any questions? 


Keen’ In Bowout 
After 17 Years 

Although CBS Radio is upbeat 
on one hand (see separate story) 
jt ' up and down on other fronts. 
'Mr Keen. Tracer of Lost Per- 
sons." a going-steady-with-CBS for 
17 \ ears, was dropped as of last 
Friday's (7) airing. The network 
had presented “Keen” as a cross- 
the-board quarter-hour at 10 p.m. 
l"i the last few months, although 
fur virtually its entire career it had 
b'’pn a once-weekly half-hour. 

Keen may return to its former 
3'i-minute status. 

The “Mahalia Jackson Show” is 
being cut to 10 minutes, down from 
2 -t Singer had been slotted 10:05 
t° 10:30 p. m. Sunday. New berth- 
ing is to 10:15. Web figures the 
capsule version may be more at- 
tractive to prospective clients. 

On the rosier side is “Gun- 
vnoke.” Western series was spon- 
^’ixd by Liggett & Myers (for 
1 & M Filters' in its Saturday day- 
1 e version playback of the Satur- 
< A nighttimer. Cig outfit cancelled 
*■ (1 the network's “Saturday The- 
*. ,re ’ was to preem last week t8>. 

non the tobacconist changed its 
'“•nd and reinstated the repeat 
‘ l it ion. It seems the netw ork’s 
, , es an d research sleuths showed 
documentary evidence” of the 
; ’’ u s Pull in the form of rating 
ar *d audience charts. 


Flock of New TV 
Entries for CBS, 
More Bob Crosby 

CBS-TV has a flock of new en- 
tries on its upcoming agenda, to 
supplement the current shooting on 
the new Phil Silvers telefilm series, 
as a contingency to plug any holes 
! that may arise in ’55 in event of 
sponsor cancellations. 

Efforts thus -far to latch on to a 
i client for the Silvers comedy series 
have been unrewarding, but this 
is not deterring the network from 
stocking its shelves with additional 
half-hour items for future use. 

New' entries include a 30-minute 
Orson Bean comedy show, now in 
preparation, with a New Yorkwrig- 
! ination; a Johnny Carson comedy 
series also to originate out of New 
York; a half-hour nighttime show- 
casing of Bob Crosby (this would 
i be in addition to his current cross- 
I the-board afternoon stanza i and a 
film series called "The Mighty O” 
i based on the heroics of the U. S. 
Coast Guard. 


‘Space Patrol’ Vanishing 

ABC-TV will drop “Space 
Patrol.” its Saturday morning 
| Coast-originated juve entry, on 
Feb. 26, and will go out of network 
1 service except for the filmed Ed 
1 McConnell show. Web had lost 
1 Ralston.as an alternate week spon- 
sor some weeks ago. and allowed 
Nestle, the other bankroller, to 
exit its contract so the show could 
be dropped. 

Program, which Is owned by 
Mrs. Helen Moser, was dropped 
by ABC Radio a couple of months 
ago. It ran on the web some three 
years. 



CBS Radio’; 

; $54,000, 10 

Biz in ’54 

|j Ain’t Ha; 

y; Execs Still 

Bullish on AM 


ABC-TV is contemplating a foray 
into the late afternoon field next 
fall with an hour of film program- 
fining at 4 p. m. to precede the Walt 

Disney “Mickey Mouse Theatre” 
which will air cross-the-board at 5. 
As a corollary to the project, the 
web may set up a special daytime 
sales unit which would be headed 
by Charles (Chick' Abry, pres- 
ently national sales manager, and 
would install Trevor Adams, sales 
chief of WABC-TV, the web's Goth- 
am flagship, as eastern sales man- 
lager with the national post abol- 
ished. 

Final decision on the project 
should come this week, with the 
return from the Coast of ABC 
prexy Bob Kinter. Kinter formal- 
ized details of the Disney project 
while on the Coast, with Disney 
slated to turn out 20 weeks of pro- 
j gramming. involving production of 
100 hours of brand new film foot- 
age. Series would be shot at the 
Disney studios in Burbank rather 
than at the new Disneyland Park, 
and possibly would involve Dis- 
ney’s dropping of one or more the- 
atrical features. Tentative start- 
ing date is the beginning of Octo- 
ber. 

Since the web has contract 
cables from 4 p. m. to midnight, 
it's considering installing an hour 
of rerun films in the 4 o'clock slot 
preceding Disney’s moppet stapza. 
Films would be either network re- 
runs or syndicated properties, but 
they would be a selective group 
that have had limited exposure, 
either regionally or locally or on 
limited nets. Programs would be 
sold on a participating basis, with 
present plans calling for a pricetag 
of not quite 52.300 per participa- 
tion. Web is planning on 70# to 
80# coverage, and if it doesn’t 
achieve the proper station clear- 
ance will forget about the project. 
Another condition is that the films 
be presold before ABC puts 
them on. 

Projected daytime sales unit 
would sell both the Disney and the 
film programs, as well as any other 
daytime properties as might exist. 
Latter would include “Breakfast 
Club.” if it's still on tv. and soap 
operas, if the web decides" to go 
ahead with them. Abry, who would 
head the daytime unit, is currently 
national sales manager at the web. 
His post would be abolished, and 
his duties taken over by sales v.p. 
Slocum 'Buzz' Chapin, who in 
: many ways duplicates the function 
at present. Meanwhile, Adams 
would move over from his WABC- 
TV slot to become eastern sales 
manager, a post which was wiped 
out in the big personnel axing in 
September. 

Web is talking to MCA about 
filmed product for the two 4-5 p. m. 
half-hours, with the old “Chevron 
Theatre” ' regional on the Coast for 
(Continued on page 46> 


NBC Radio May Follow 
WLIB Lead In Playback 
Of CBC ‘Investigator’ 

The first U. S. broadcast of “The 
Investigator.” Canadian Broad- 
casting's controversial parody on 
the activities of Sen. Joseph Mc- 
Carthy. elicited a relatively large 
degree of interest in N. Y. where 
it was heard, despite the fact that 
the solon has virtually been out 
of the news during the past several 
weeks. However, what seems par- 
ticularly significant is that WLIB. 
the indie radio station airing the 
hour-long recording, witnessed a 
great decline in McCarthy sympa- 
thizers from what they were a few 
months back. It’s reported NBC 
Radio may undertake a 55-minute 
broadcast of the show. 

For the show, sponsored by 
B&C Recording Co. which has re- 
cently started merchandising copies 
of the CBC broadcast in the U. S., 
WLIB got about 500 responses so 
far (broadcast was a week ago to- 
day (Wed.) but only five were pro- 
McCarthy. 


Smooth Tongues But — 

The irony of a situation in 
which the four radio webs find 
themselves (in direct contra- 
diction to their own pressing 
needs) pitching an "all radio" 
cau^e still exists. Recently it 
was BRD&O which first 
handed out the assignments 
with the nets complying. To- 
jlay ' Wed.' it’s N. W. Ayer to 
whom the webs will lay out the 
virtues of radio. Shortly it'll 
be Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample. 
and then probably other top 
Madison Ave. offices. Setup 
begs for comparison to the 
J6hn Alden fable: smooth 
tongued but in no position to 
speak for themselves. 

After much trade talk about 
the decline in network 
radio only, BBD&O. wanting 
to brush up on the virtues of 
the medium, told each of the 
webs its particular angle in 
building radio, further ask- 
ing that no specific mention of 
the value of network radio 
be made (thus avoiding any 
possibily invidious compari- 
sons to local and spot audio'. 
And now . almost as if to insure 
that the webs keep it general 
and keep it clean. Radio Ad- 
vertising Bureau (promotion 
unit for the whole radio in- 
dustry has been brought in to 
do the booking for the four 
networks’ -joint spiel. 


‘Father Facing 
Lorillard Axing; 
Can t Get Rating 

Indications are that “Father 
Knows Best” may be the next ma- 
jor casualty on the tv network pro- 
gram rosters. The Sunday night 
at 10 CBS-TV film entry starring 
Robert Young (based on his former 
NBC radio series' is sponsored by 
P. Lorillard Co. on behalf of its 
Kent cigarets via Young & Rubi- 
cam and went into the slot in the 
fall as replacement for “The Web.” 

It's understood Lorillard may 
cancel out in March, at the end of 
26 weeks, because of the show’s in- 
ability to cop a rating. It's opposite 
the Loretta Young Show on NBC- 
TV. which manages to grab off the 
cream of the 10-10:30 audience. 

“Father” is a costly <535.000 
weekly) package and has been re- 
garded as one of the more qualita- 
tive of the new vidlilm entries. 
However, the fact that, once Ed 
Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” 
checks off at 9 o’clock. NBC with 
its "Television Playhouse" gets 
much the better of it until 10:30. 
looms as an important factor. The 
Celeste Holm series in the preced- 
ing 9:30 to 10 C’BS slot (now off' 
didn't help matters much either. 


The noise you hear in and 
around 485 Madison Ave. these 
days is over and above the din of 
New York’s w.k. traffic. It’s CBS 
nunching hard in behalf of radio. 
If the aural sphere is shedding 
some of its coin poundage and on 
a “treadmill to oblivion." you can't 
prove it by talking to the vice pres- 
idents and other executives in 
charge of thisa & thata. Columbia's 
554.000.000 in radio billings for 
1954 — and PIBers don't lie — ain’t 
exactly hay in a sphere that's sup- 
posed to be on the way to the ceme- 
tery. (Even NBC’s $33.(*)0,000, 
while far behind its No. 1 rival, 
doesn't suggest that there’s a wake 
around the corner, although the 
statistic is hardly one to inspire 
great hope for the future of the 
medium from ' that w eb s point of 
view . ) 

The CB6 theme is definitely “Op- 
eration Salesman” even if the 
favors are small. It's ordinarily 
a tiny item, for instance, that CBS 
Radio has named an account execu- 
tive in San Francisco. But to John 
Karol, veepee over network sales, 
it means that, for the firsf" time in 
his memory (and he’s, been with 
the web for about 20 years) CBS 
will have more than one radio man 
me the Coast. The new a.e. in 
Frisco, serving the Bay Area and 
Northwest, is Robert S. Jones, 
working under the Hollywood aus- 
pices of Bok Reitzel. CBS Radio's 
Pacific Coast chieftain over sales. 
Similarly, there’s an a e. appoint- 
ment in the Detroit office, with 
Wayne J. Wilcox assigned. Detroit 
has been a one-man office (Ben 
Lochridge is the manager) for half 
a dozen years. A month or so ago, 
CBS added two men to the New 
York sales staff (Jack Mann and 
John Callow ) and Karol is figur- 
ing on stocking up with more sales 
power. 

NBC’s theme is spots, also with 
a Detroit angle. William B. Busch- 
gen, ex-accountant exec in the N.Y. 
office of the web’s spot sales divi- 
sion. moves on to Autotown as 
radio manager. He replaces Paul 
Mensing, who becomes manager of 
the Central Division of SS in Chi- 
cago. Also tapped by George Diet- 
rich. national radio manager of 
SS. is Sallie Wareham, who be- 
comes production supervisor in 
New York, under H. W. Shepard, 
new business and ad manager. 

CBS is on a sales binge too — 
binge” meaning by the new 1955 
standards. Brown & Williamson's 
V iceroy Cigs. already backer of two- 
a-week of the “Amos n’ Andy 
Music Hall,” has not only renewed 
the pair but added another in be- 
half of its Kool. Carter Products 
(Continued on page 46) 


TOM BENNETT TO 
HELM PITT’S KDKA 

Pittsburgh. Jan. II. 

Thomas A. Bennett Jr. has been 
appointed program manager of 
KDKA. He succeeds Robert E 
White, who left to become asso- 
ciated with a tv-radio packaging ’ 
outfit In New York. Since last 
August, Bennett has been a con- 
sultant to the Office of Private 
Cooperation. U. S. Information 
Agency, staging and recording sym- 
phonic salutes between major 
American orchestras and those in 
Europe. 

A one-time arranger for Ozzie 
Nelson’s band. Bennett w as the ! 
producer of NBC’s “Chamber Mu- 
sic Society of Lower Basin Street” 
and headed Fred Waring’s program 
department for five years. He also 
produced-directed “Great Plays." 
NBC Symphony, “Magic Key of 
RCA” ' 


B last Club' on TV 
Dies of Starvation 

ABC’s simulcast version of 
“Breakfast Club.” which a short 
time after its bow on tv reached 
nearty to the half-way mark on 
sponsored segments, now faces the 
prospect of becoming a television 
sustainer, though it’s practically 
SRO on radio. Quaker Oats, the 
last remaining video bankroller, 
has informed the web it’s on a 
prowl for another show and will 
drop its “Breakfast” sponsorship 
next month. 

Web programmers are doing 
some soul-searching about the 
show with the prospect of axing 
it completely being carefully con- 
sidered. Since the web's next day- 
time move will be in late afternoon 
time via Walt Disney’s hour-long 
kidstrip next fall, the network is 
thinking in terms of putting all its 
daytime eggs in the afternoon bas- 
ket and forgetting about the morn- 
ing. In such a case. “Breakfast” 
probably would be dropped. Mean- 
while. the net is considering sell- 
ing the tv version of the Chi origi- 
nator on a participation basis in- 
stead of in quarter-hour segments 
as heretofore. 



28 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 





c 



One of the most penetrating analogies of the 
relative merits of radio and television that we’ve 
seen came recently from Mr. George Abrams, 

• T i™ % 

■*. 

Vice President in charge of advertising for the Block 
Drug Company. Mr. Abrams speaks as a man who 
buys both network radio (Mutual only) and 
television. And he speaks from the ideal vantage 
point of a rising sales curve. 

Radio, says Mr. Abrams, is like a bamboo rake; 
television is like a metal rake; they resemble each 
other superficially but perform essentially different 
tasks. For example, the close-set tines of a bamboo 
rake pull in lots of things that slip easily through the 

t 


gap-toothed metal rake. Then, warming to the 
subject, Mr. Abrams set down the advantages that 
he is getting from use of Mutual’s bamboo rake: 

‘ 'When you reach an American family for 1/20 
of a cent why not tell every advertiser in America 
about it; and as loudly as possible. Even a govern- 

t, 

ment postcard today costs you two cents, but that’s 
unaddressed and undistributed. Why, for that 
2<r alone, radio can bring a message into 40 homes— 
not a single home! But this low cost leads to another 
advantage —repetition. If.my commercial message 
is only costing me 5 6v -per- 1000 each day that it goes 
on the air, then five messages a week are costing 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 




RAKES IT IN 






fi' 


t\ve 


do 


,v#' 


to 


,c 


cA 1 


me only $2.50. How inexpensive can you get? 

How low can your advertising cost become?” 

Mr. Abrams’ analogy of the bamboo rake is 
particularly apt for Mutual. Because Mutual’s model 
has even more teeth than the other network rakes 
• •.572 of them in the form of affiliated stations — 
almost twice as many as any other network. They 
sweep farther and finer than the other networks can. 
And like bamboo, Mutual is mightily flexible 
and economical. 

Actually, Mutual has many rakes; there’s one 
nicely balanced for the grip of every advertiser. 

Like you for instance. Can we help you rake it in too? 


./ Ax 


I 


y.vVw,.;.^ 


(I /’ - l • * • 




& 


\ / 


The PLUS rake 
reaches every 
corner of America 

f , MUTUAL 

i 

Broadcasting 
System . . . 

1440 Broadway 
Hew York 18 




30 


RADIO REVIEWS 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


EDWARD P. MORGAN AND THE 

NEWS 

With Morgan; Joe McCaffery, an- 
nouncer 

Director: Marty Pinsker 
15 Mins.; Mon.-thru Fri.; 10 p.m. 
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF 

LABOR 

ABC, from Washington 

t Furman , Feiner & Co.) 

Edward P. Morgan, who left a 
lucrative spot in New York as 
news director at CBS to take an 
even more lucrative one in Wash- 
ington with the American Federa- 
tion of Labor and ABC <as a staff- 
er, incidentally), has changed the 
format of the AFL newscasts con- 
siderably from what they used to 
be with Frank Edwards on Mutual. 
Morgan’s doing virtually a straight 
news report, contrasted with the 
Edwards commentary. 

Whether it’s due to Morgan’s 
own size-up of the function of a 
union-sponsored news show, or a 
reflection of AFL policy (it will be 
recalled that Edwards exited the 
union last summer when the AFL 
brass complained his programs 
contained too much pro-labor bias), 
the straight-news treatment cer- 
tainly puts the AFL in less of a 
partisan light. Of course, Morgan 
devotes more attention than the 
average reporter to matters direct- 
ly affecting labor, but even here he 
plays it down the straight and nar- 
row. All of which means that the 
show is less of a propaganda piece 
and more of a public service and a 
service to those union members 
Interested enough to listen. / 

As to Morgan himself, one of his 
publicly announced reasons for 
taking the job was to get back 
into the on-the-air saddle after a 
couple of years of desk work. He’s 
got a brisk and authoritative de- 
livery and a sharp sense of news 
values. Although on the shows 
caught he had a tendency to stum- 
ble a little, this can be attributed 
to his absence from the micro- 
phone, and it’s certain that in a 
couple of weeks he'll be back in 
shape. Morgan winds the show 
with an editorialized featurette, at 
least one of which <on Marian An- 
derson on the eve of her Metopera 
bow» was somewhat overlong and 
at times a little irrelevant to the 
actual news itself. 

One basic fault with the straight- 
news setup as it now stands on 
ABC. Morgan’s show is preceded 
by a five-minute news wrapup 
four nights a week, and there’s 
some repetition. Although the cap- 
sule is part of an overall sales 
philosophy at ABC and is part of 
a three-a-night package sponsored 
by the same bankroller (Aero-May- 
flowerl, a listener who catches the 
fiver can’t be blamed for turning 
his dial when he hears another 
newscast coming up, which cer- 
tainly is detrimental to Morgan 
and the AFL. A little reschedul- 
ing’s in order here. Chan. 


PULSE 


METROPOLITAN AUDITIONS OF 


With John Wingate, Gabe Press- j THE AIR 

man, Dan Peterson. Bill Hanra- With ABC Symphony Orch, Milton 

Jean Sanders, Byron 


Cross, 

Steele 

Producer-director: Drex Hines 
25 Mins., Mon., 9 p.m. 

ABC, from New York 

In 16 years the Metop Auditions 
of the Air hasn’t changed much. 


han, Sydney Smith, Phil Alampi, 

Fleetwood, Herb Sheldon, Lind 
sey Nelson 

Producer: Steve White 
Director-writer: Draper Lewis 
120 Mins., Sat., 9:30 a.m. 

Participating 

wm^Trogran, chief. ain Only thing missing in the show;, 
at WRCA, NBC's New York flag- , 55 outing is a sponsor, but that s 
ship, has designed an ambitious network radio’s current problem 
local layout that ought to serve as ant j can ’t be attributed to the plus 

a model for any station seeking to , minuses of this perennial long- 
widen its coverage of local news . r ., .. 

and events and very possibly its hair showcase. Over the years, the ; 

audience at the same time. It’s : series has shifted many tryout solo- , 
called “Pulse,” and employing the j sts f rom the studio mike to the 

enterta fn i n g^amf in for maUve week" «*» b “‘ “’ s not t0 

ly wrapup of local news, events judge a good stage technique from 

and features. Without any onus a good mike technique. That’s up 



to Met manager Rudolph Bing, as 


intended, it’s a widely expanded 

version of Bill Leonard’s (W’CBS) ( , . th riia i pr i* concerned all 

• This Is New York,” with plenty far as the dialer is concerned, ail 

of other departmental trappings he has to do is sit back and listen 
added to make it a solid bet to to the arias with the thought that 
capture the fancy of Gothamites, be may be sitting in on the birth 
Logically enough. White has 0 f the star, 
departmentalized the two -hour 


stanza, with newscaster John Win 
gate heading the 


In its opening show of the sea- 
entire shindig ! son (3), the series showcased mezzo- 
soprano Jean Sanders and tenor 
Byron Steele. Both sang with 
plenty of forte and made the 25- 
minuter skip along at an ear-ar- 
resting pace. Miss Sanders niftily 
handled "Voce di Donna” and 
“Mon Cour” from “Samson and 
Delilah” while Byron belted "Che- 
jelida Mania” from “La Boheme” 
and “M’Appari” from "Martha.” 

The ABC Symph gave ’em both 
a handsome assist and Milton Cross 
was in fine form as the interlocu- 
tor. Gros. 


SPORTS REVIEW 
.With Jimmy Powers, others 
Producer: Steve White 
15 Mins., Mon.-thru-Fri., 6:15 p.m. 
Participating 
WRCA, New York 

WRCA has evolved what it seems 
to feel is the best and only way to 
present a sportsnews show. A 
couple of t hat species which 
preemed last week followed a 


as editor-in-chief. Gabe Pressman, 
the former World-Telegram & Sun 
staffer, covers the local newsfronts 
with a mobile unit and a tape 
machine. Dan Peterson is stationed 
out at Idlewild Airport with a 
remote unit to interview incoming 
celebs and give the airfield weather 
reports. Bill Hanrahan, one of the 
station's top disk jockeys, plays 
disks and covers the dance and 
jazz spots, telling who’s where. 

Fleetwood, the night-owl classical 
jock, dittoes on the concert and 

opera front. Sydney Smith, the 

femme specialist, handles Broad- 
way; Herb Sheldon talks to the NORMAN VINCENT PE ALE 
kiddies; Lindsey Nelson covers With Clyde Kitte! 
sports; and Phil Alampi is the Producer: Peale 
home gardening and do-it-yourself Director: Don Sutter 
specialist. And Wingate, aside from 10 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 10:05 a.m. 
acting as the human switching NBC, from New York 
(enter for all this handles the fiv-e- Norman Vincent Peale is turning 
minute news inserts which include NBC into an annex of his Marble 
national and foreign breaks as well Col i e g iate Church Clinic. The , 
as local. | clergyman, author of “Power of 

Done over a two-hour span, all , Positive Thinking,” has apparently ; 
this can start to get repetitious, given some thought to the positive 
in sp,te of a thoroughly profes- nower of the broadcast media. At 
sional lineup of performers. But least he gets more time than most 
it doesn’t, except for the news, of his clerical confreres. (He even 
Credit here should go to Wingate, has a video stanza on WCBS, N.Y.). 
White and direetor-scripter Draper • Last week he began a second show 
Lewis, who have decided to give on NBC radio. * It bears no particu- 
the entire segment a light treat- lar title but it’s a variation on a 
ment. Wingate displays a lot of theme by the Answer Man. 
humor and imagination in his, To Clyde K ittel’s rea dings of 
slot, and he s ^ infected the rest of ma j] ed _j n queries. Peale. when 
the stalf, so that it s like one big heard last Friday (7), exercised his 

thaCs c,erical prerogatives by answering 
' with aI1 the instruments at his 
An l H th command: blank (and rhymed) 

n C „ er L a n ii Pn verse * anecdote, etc., turning each 

ntliw *in Hpnartmpnk retort into a small-sized sermon. 

l!?, t J r re a S ^^ r Jhn,, V r a 5t l rM S r'h epartmentS There is no question that Peale 
o\er a two-hour sti etch. has an appealing personality and 

Content on the premiere show. ; usually lots of info to impart. How- 
aside from news and w here-to-go ever, it is seriously questioned his 
items, ranged from the critical «how served any purpose other 
wrapup on Marian . Anderson s | than to provide only partial an- 
Metopera bow to an interview of swers to what might be burning 
a \ lrginia clergyman just off the p ersona i problems. His answers — 
plane from the Holy Land where f or example, “work, work, work 
he spent Christmas to a taped and more work” to how r to get 
feature by Pressman on why the some p i ace and be somebody- 
city shouldnt impose a tax on beer d i dn ’t require 10 minutes of air 
(with the site of the interviews time. 


IK IS EW YORK CITY . . . 

Bud Ford to WRCA as producer-director of the AUyn Edwards show, 
from NBC’s WTAM-Cleveland where he originated and produced 
“Morning Bandwagon” . . . Mary Martin, Jessica Tandy and Hume 
Cronyn guesting on Bill Leonard’s WCBS “This Is N. Y.” this week. 
Late nighter’s new time period has picked up three sponsors in Sateve- 
post, Rum and Maple Tobacco and Reader’s Digest . . . Sportcaster Her- 
man Hickman bedded by virus bug, first time he’s been in that state in 
10 years . . . Arthur Anderson, celebrating his 20th year as an actor 
by working, is* doubling between NBC’s “Mr. Jolly’s Hotel For Pets” 
and rehearsals for “The Doctor’s Dilemma” at the off-Broadway Phoe- 
nix Theatre . . . Singer Bob Haymes’ WCBS’er stepped up to five and 
a half hours a week, with ayem show expanded to 75 minutes (from 
45) and “Melody in the Night” a full hour as of Monday HO) . . . 
General manager Hamilton Shea and news and special events chief 
Bill Berns of WRCA and WRCA-TV to Florida on separate missions 
. . . Mike Boscia. easing back into Press Info at CBS, having gained a 
few pounds after major surgery . . . Pat Richer, WRCA publicity staffer, 
back after a week’s illness . . . CBS will reinsert sports director John 
Derr’s weekly sportscast quarter-hour at 10:15 p.m. Sundays starting 
Jan. 23. Derr also fronts tw r o five-minuters on the two-hour “On a 
Sunday Afternoon,” plus his Saturday night quarter-hour. 

WABC newscaster Charles P. McCarthy named chairman of the 
March of Dimes campaign in Baldwin, L. I. . . . Ted Nelson tapped 
for the third year to direct the N.Y. Newspaper Guild’s annual Page 
One Ball April 29 at Ihe Park Sheraton . . . George Hamilton Combs 
doing a three part series on American foreign policy on his WABC 
“Spotlight. New York,” with Thomas Finletter, August Heckscher and 
Arthur Schlessinger Jr. his guests . . . Pegeen Fitzgerald added a 
series of “window' shopping” inserts to the Fitzgeralds’ morning show 
on WABC, consisting of taped interviews taken in front of department 
stores. 

CBS sports chief John Derr on week’s vacation in Miami after 
Mobile Senior Bowl coverage . . . “Second Mrs. Burton” marked up 
nine years Friday <7) . . . Red Barber w-riting a book for Doubleday 
based on his 25 years as a sportscaster . . . Janice O’Connell, ex-super- 
visor of literary clearance for CBS, joined Jay Garon-Brooke Asso- 
ciates literary agency . . . John Steinbeck to be interviewed by Tex & 
Jinx McCrary tonight (Wed.) on WRCA and will discuss “The Climate 
of Suspicion” between the U.S. and Russia and the importance of 
Radio Free Europe . . . CBS’ers Bill Schudt (station relations veep) 
and Jerry Maulsby (mgr. of broadcasts) down with virus. 

Station reps Free & Peters feted salesmen Arthur Bagge and Lon 
King for “outstanding personal development and sales performance” 
. . . Kevin Sweeney, Radio Advertising Bureau prexy. off on first of 
the clinics, which, this time, will run for the better part of ’55 . . . 
Rita Elkin, publicity assistant at WOV, engaged to law student Alan 
Buchsbaum . . . Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan guested Monday (10) 
on WQXR's “The World of Jazz” . . . Mutual gabber Basil lleatter into 
weekend sked with 15-minutes on both Saturday and Sunday . : . 
WOR started five-minute strip, “Financial Review,” with John Scott 
tickertaping. 

Stephen S. Price, radio-tv director, has a piece in the current Amer- 
ican Magazine, “Put Your Best Voice Forward.” Price is an active 
vocal coach on the side . . . Helen Andrews, N. W. Ayer copywriter, 
on a junket to the Bissell carpetsweejjpr factory in Grand Rapids. 
This is the account which is shooting its tv bankroll with NBC . . . 
Max Wylie’s new books, "Clear Channels,” delayed two weeks in pub- 
lication because attorneys for Funk & Wagnalls got jitters and insisted 
upon replating one page and removing a crack Wylie made against 
Frederick Wakeman, author of "The Hucksters.” 


being a couple of taverns in town). 
Certainly, the show's not intended 
for concentrated listening over the 


fairly specific formula which, how- ; full two-hours, but judging from 
ever, by no means restricted the , the preem, the casual dialer cr.n 
upbeat characteristics of the shows. ' find something to hold him when- 


The one under review here is 
Jimmy Powers’ “Sports Review.” 
which was caught last Friday (7) 
at 6:15 p.m. Producer Steve 
White was responsible for working 
, to a fine point a familiar formula. 
Powers, though less experienced 
by far than Mel Allen whom he re- 
placed in that general time period 
for WRCA, was so guided as to 
lose none of the flavor of a good 
sportscast. 

Powers (as with Lindsey Nelson 
at 11:15, another show produced 
by White) opened with the sports 
“headlines" (a custom as old as 
participating sponsor Ruppert 
Beer’s association with sports) and 
then went into a rapidly-paced 
looksee at the day’s events. Briefie 
stuff was accurate and all-inclu- 
sive. 

Since Powers has 15 minutes per 
night while Nelson settles for a 
five-minute strip later on the for- 
mer has time for interviews. News 
of sports was lean when Powers 
was caught so the show spent an 
overlong time in interviewing some 
pro basketballers, including play- 
ers Bob Wamser and Bob Cousy. 
There’s where Powers, originally 
(and still) a sports columnist for 
the N.Y. Daily News, fell short. 
While he did sharp job in read- 
ing copy, he occasionally got 
tongue-tied in his own adlib quer- 
ies. He got better as the session 
with the players progressed, but he 
remained slightly too loquacious, 
particularly since the guys on the 
other end of the mike seemed ex- 
perienced in such matters. Art. 


require 

He was as platitudinous in 
a deeper problem re “why per- 
sonal antagonism?” 

His 10 minutes might be cut to 
a one-minute commercial, to con- 
sult with the nearest psychologist, 
family counsellor or minister. 

/ Art. 

SPORTS FINAL 
With Lindsey Nelson 
Producer: Steve White 
Director: Various 

5 Mins., Mon.thru-Fri., 11:15 p.m. 
Participating 
WRCA, New York 

. _ Last week WRCA. the NBC o&o 

ming that can recapture the radio in N. Y., made a couple of pro- 
audience and keep it there — the gram changes, one of which was 
type of show that television can’t i filling the old Joe Hasel sports slot 
or won’t provide and that radio with Lindsey Nelson twho got lots 
can do better than any other of airing vra NBC-TV during the 
medium. It’s to WRCA’s credit Canadian footall coverage). Nelson 
that it’s undertaken the show*, even offered a snappy capsule sports 
more to it’s credit that it’s made rundown when heard last Friday 

At . • * , . • n «• • • 


ever he tunes in 

Over and above the execution of j 
the idea, the thinking behind the 
show merits some kudos. The , 
principle that “all radio is local” j 
bears more import now than ever j 
before, and it’s not only a respon- 
sibility but a profitable undertak- 
ing for a local outlet, be it network 
flagship or indie, to stress the local 
angle, It’s this type of program- j 


the segment good listening. 

Chan. 


LEMONADE CONCERT 
With Paul Flanigan 
30 Mins., Mon.-Frl., 7 p.m. 
Participating 
WTRY, Troy 

“Lemonade Concert” quenches 
listeners’ thirst for what Paul 
Flanigan calls “the light classics.” 
Presented in two half-hour seg- 
ments. at 7 and 10 p.m., it features 
operatic excerpts, standard num- 
bers 'Herbert. Friml. Romberg et 
al.), film sound track music and 
other wear-wells. Majority of the 
selections were instrumental, al- 
though there were a few vocals, 
when the program was caught. 

Flanigan, who long has deejayed 
a popular hit-parade type of Satur- 
day evening show, announces 


' 7 ». He provided no new angles, 
but in*a stanza that follows 15 min- 
utes of news, he managed to wrap- 
up all key phases of the day's 
athletic picture. 

Like most sports gabbers, Nel- 
son followed the usual format: 
“headline” opener, as appetizer 
before the first of two quickie com- 
mercials. Possible weakness is 
that, for the first time, it was no- 
ticed Nelson retains a shadowy 
twang and often runs low on reso- 
nance. Art. 

“Concert” briskly and clearly, 
with a touch of the personal. Pro- 
gram is reputed to have a loyal 
audience. 

A midway snow-tire commercial, 
live and recorded, sounded slightly 
out of place, on one segment heard. 

Jaco. 


IK CHICAGO . . . 

Kay Ashton-Stevdns has signed on with Zenith Radio to handle 
special assignments in the public relations and ad departments . . . 
Producer Jay Sheridan has departed Louis G. Cowan office and will 
specialize in freelance assignments. First task will be to handle pro- 
duction on Republican mayoralty candidate Robert Merriam’s weekly 
series on WGN-TV . . . Dick Winters switches from WAAF’s announcery 
to the indie’s sales staff . . . Final judging of the Squire Dingee talent 
hunt conducted by midwest deejays will be telecast from the Chez 
Paree Jan. 20 with Howard Miller emceeing. Top winner gets a Mer- 
cury recording pact and a week’s date at the Chez. Judges will be 
Lena Horne, Dave Halper Sf the Chez, Mercury veep Art Talmadge 
' and Downbeat editor Norm W’eiser . . . CBS is cutting gospel singer 
Mahalia Jackson’s Sunday night airer from 25 to 10 minutes . . . Chi 
NBC director Howard Keegan helming the web’s radio workshop 
training group . . . WBBM announcer Bob Grant weds Mary Schaefer 
Saturday '15*. Pair plan a Coast honeymoon . . . Woody Mercer added 
to the talent roster of WLS’s “Barn Dance Matinee” which is being 
j expanded an additional 30 minutes. 

IK ROSTOK ... 

WYDA late night deejay Sherm Feller and his wife, singer Judy 
Valentine, on a five-week vacation. First stop is Miami, then across 
country to New Orleans and Hollywood. During Feller's absence 
staffers Earl Gynan and Leon Fremault will alternate handling the 
show . . . Eugene King, program manager of U.S. Information Agency 
and formerly associated with Hub’s WCOP and WEEI speaks on “Be- 
hind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains.” at Radio-TV-Advertising Execs 
Club meeting today (12) . . . Helen Harrigan, media director of Cham- 
bers & Wiswell agency, has been appointed tv chairman of the 1955 
March of Dimes campaign . . . Deejay Dave Maynard has ankled WHIL 
to take over the WORL spot vacated by Norm Prescott, who recently 
joined a N.Y. station. Maynard’s spot at WHIL has been taken over 
by Art Tacker, ex-WBMS gabber . . . WBZ-TV begins transmitting 
local color slides and films this weekend, the first New England station 
to complete phase two of its color operations. 

IN PHILADELPHIA ... 

Former KYW sales rep John Meagher, now in charge of State Dept, 
radio and tv, is off to Paris with Secretary of State Dulles . . . WCAU 
radio is covering series of nine college basketball games from Con- 
vention Hall, broadcasting second game of Saturday night double- 
headers. Bill Campbell is the spieler . . . Jim Reeves, sometimes known 
as "Shorty the Bailiff,” has left WPWA, Chester, to preem a new daily 
disk show from WDAS , , . Jack Valentine has launched new program 
on WCAU-TV, half-hour, once weekly 3 p.m. segment entitled "Valen- 
tine’s Day” . . . Jack Bookbinder, artist and special assistant for the 
Board of Education, will be commentator for tv series of nine programs 
on WPTZ featuring American artists works of last 150 years. 


IN CLEVELAND . 


Leslie Blebl named WHK program director with Pinky Hunter be 
coming director of public relations . . . Phoebe W’echt does WNB? 
Maggi Byrne stint while latter is in New York . . . While WERE’ 
Ellen Marshall is off on nine-month Central America. European junket 
Louise Winslow handles daily femme spiels . . . WSRS newscaste 
George Patrick upped to news director . . . After 15 years on th< 
WTAM 6:15 p.m, spot, Sohio drops cross-the-board newscast keepini 

(Continued on page 42) 


. WiMlnnwlay, Jannary 12, 1955 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


SI 


HE CALLS ’EM AS HE SEES ’EM 


Revenge Is Sweet 



L 



Whether by coincidence or not, the appearance of the Bil & Cora 
Baird Puppets on NBC-TV’s “Today” hiked that show’s rating and 
dropped CBS-TV’s “Morning Show,” on which the Bairds formerly 
appeared. The Bairds did daily workouts on the Dave Garroway- 
enueed “Today” in the week starting Dec. 27. For the two weeks 
preceding that, the show’s Trendex score was 3.3, with its audi- 
t nee share 42.4. Against this, the Jack Paar-ringmastered “Morn- 
ing Show” racked 2.9 and an aud share of 36.9. During the Bairds' 
Christinas week, the “Today” ratings went up to 3.9 (with share of 
54 ) while “Morning” dipped to a flat 2 (with 26.9 share, a drop 
of 10*. 

The puppeteers some time ago were given their walking papers 
by CBS-TV. although Paar has claimed publicly and to the trade 
that it wasn’t his idea but the web’s to oust the figurines. “Morn- 
ing Show” has in the past chalked up percentage scores of well 
into the 40s on children’s viewing, particularly in the later stages 
1 8 o'clock forward * of the 7 to 9 a.m. workouts. Apparently the 
network wasn’t happy about such substantial kid audiences for 
an “adult” show. So the Bairds were chopped off and since then 
have made a sizable number of freelance contracts, especially on 
NBC stanzas. They’re due back next week for another fling on 
“Today." 

Meantime. “Morning Show” has had fewer moppet viewers, 
which squares with CBS-TV’s — if not Paar’s — intentions Remains 
to be seen, however, if discouraging kid dialing via ousting of the 
Bairds will have a positive effect in luring more participating 
sponsors on the CBS wakcruppcr — and for longer terms. 

Hearst’s Eye on the Whole Works 
In Bid for Radio-TV 'Empire’ Status 

Purchase this w eek of WTVW. ♦ ■■ -■ ' — 

the tour^month-old VHF outlet in 
Milwaukee, by Hearst Radio for 
some S2.000.000 goes far beyond 
the resolution of the years-old 
tnngle for a Milwaukee television 
outlet for Hearst. complex and 
protracted as that hassle was. 

Actually, purchase symbolizes a 
greenlight for Hearst’s radio oper- 
ations that will project it to a full- 
size radio-tv empire, involving the 
acquisition by purchase or appli- 
cation. of the full quota of five V’s 
and two U’s in television and the 
FCC limit of seven AM outlets. 

So goes the thinking of the 
Hearst execs. Hearst radio-tv divi- 
sion chairman Charles B. McCabe 
and v.p.-general manager D. L. 

(Tony* Provost. McCabe said this 
week that Hearst. aside from its 
pending application in a four-way 
fight for Channel 4 in Pittsburgh, 
i' negotiating for broadcasting 
properties in several other cities 
and expects to have some of the 
deals wrapped up soon. Pitt hear- 
ing ended last week, and some 
word is expected soon from the 
FCC on that. Milwaukee purchase 
gives Hearst a good start on its 
project, what with V’s in Baltimore 
(WBAL-TV) and Milwaukee, along 
vuii radio stations WBAL in Bal- 
timore. W1SN in Milwaukee (prob- 
ably to be made a combined opera- 
tion with WTVW, patterned after 
the WBAL-WBAL-TV setup) and 
the separately owned WCAE in 
Pittsburgh (owned and operated by 
Hearst Consolidated, the newspa- 
per publishing corporation, as op- 
(Continucd on page 46) 



30,000,000 Households to Feel 
TVs Banner Sales Impact in ’55 


By STOCKTON HF.LFFRICH 

( Director Continuity Acceptance, 

ABC) 

Some lady feels WRCA-TV at 
fault because her five-year-old was 
upset over a 10 p m. whodunit, 
cause Dr. Hofwich on Ding Dong 
School points to a goldfish, “right 

here in this bowl.” and says “she’s 
going to have babies.” In a long sion chief, negotiated the DuMont 


‘So Proudly We Hail’ 

• 

Cincinnati, Jan. 11. 

Return of the Paul Dixon show 
to a Cinc.v station Jan. 17 will be 
hailed as Paul Dixon Week by 
WLW-TV which also plans to 
originate the DuMont network 
show that week. 

John T. Murphy, Crosley televi- 


Larry Wynn to WABC-TV 

Larry Wynn, former sales man- , 
ager of WABD, the DuMont outlet 
in New York, has joined the sales 
staff of WABC-TV, ABC’s Gotham 
flagship. lie’ll report in his new 
post to WABC-TV sales manager 
Trevor Adams. 

Wynn left WABD some seven 
months ago after several years 
with the station. 


‘On to Bullish ’55’ 
Heartens Philco Distribs; 
Other Re Franchises 

Atlantic City, Jan. 11. 

Some 1600 Philco distributors 
from all sections attended the or- 
ganization's mid-winter convention 
hole last Wednesday through Fri- 
day < 5 - 7 ) when top brass of the 
corporation from president James 
H. Carmine down detailed pros- 
pects for 1955, introduced new 
models of the many applicances 
made by Philco, and on the final 
day went into the government's 
antitrust suit filed against the 
corporation. 

/I lie boardwalk Warner theatre, 
big 4200-seater closed during the 
"inter months, was used for con- 
'ention sessions while the dele- 
gates were lodged at nearby Hotel 
( 'a ridge. The gathering ended Fri- 
,*y night with a variety show 
headed by Johnnie Desmond, Gyp- 
«- v ^ ose Lee and company, with 
'"imer Miss America Bess Myer- 
i'' n and Ann Gloria Daniels, Miss 
1 "rida of 1954, also appearing. 

\ iew ing prospects for the new 
' Carmine said the industry 
sell this year approximately 
(Continued on page 42) 


Acad Hoopla To 
Preempt a Spec 
For Super-Spec 

Traditional pattern of the spec- 
taculars is to preempt regular 
half-hour and hour programming, 
i but for the first time a Max Lien- 
man spec will be preempted to 
make way for a super-spec. This 
will occur on the night of Feb. 12 
when the regular Liebman-pro- 
duced Saturday night 9fi-minute 
show' originating out of NBC’s 
Brooklyn studios will vacate the 
premises to make room for the 
Academy Awards nominations 
hoopla. 

Oldsmobile is picking up the tab 
for the nominations spec, around 
which a 90-minute super-duper 
show will be built in the auto com- 
pany’s usual 9 to 10.30 time slot. 
It will emanate from NBC’s color 
studios in Burbank., with Liebman 
sitting this one out. Tied in with 
the event will be the dedication of 
Burbank color studios. 

The nominations, of course, are 
over and above the Oldsmobile- 
sponsored presentation of the 
Academy Awards which will be 
telecast the night of March 30 
(Wed.) from 10:30 to midnight. 
Whether this will come out of Bur- 
bank or originate from the Pan- 
tages Theatre in Hollywood is still 
to be determined. 


letter a man sees “immoral filth” 
in Robert Sherwood's “Diary.” 
Variety itself tweaks us for 
making the Latin Quarter gals 
look “Mother Hubbard-ish.” (You 
should have seen what the tv mail 
says you shouldn’t!) 

Lead-in to a number on Your 
Hit Parade features a snake-charm- 
er working on an obviously me- 
chanical snake; a station manager 
west of Chicago tells us a local 
viewer with an aversion for snakes 
suffered a heart attack. On one of 
Durante's shows a trained lion 
flubs his stunt, the over-zealous 
trainer over-prods; an 11-year-old 
girl among other letter-writers ad- 
dresses herself to Durante in in- 
dignation that anyone “pulled that 
poor lion’s tail. You wouldn’t like 
it and neither does the lion.” 

Two school principals take Sid 
Caesar and us to task on a parent- 
teacher spoof; some parents see in 
the Jessica Tandy-Hume Cronyn 
“The Marriage” (concerned one 
broadcast with a father’s reactions 
to his child's school difficulties) a 
“tearing down of necessary class- 
room regimentation” and what an- 
other considers “pink.” A like view 
was held re a Ford Theatre pro- 
gram because a chaplain was 
shown in a moment of doubt (from 
which he successfully emerged*. 

And so on and so on and so on. 
If you’re a censor you can't win 
and you could develop ulcers. But 
you call things as you see them. 
Troubles we got, sure. Spoil- 
sports: sometimes. Common sense: 
hope so. Judge for yourself. 

In some of the old movie car-j 
toons run on tv for children we 
don’t take nose-thumbings, nor 
leered-up skirt liftings, fanny fet- 
ishes, Mack Sennett chamberpot 
gags, kootch dancers, overdone 
drunks and such. We scissor a 
business like little Farina blanch- 
ing white in the old Our Gang 
comedy material and thumbs-down 
all swish routines. 

Our index (by titles) maintained 
on tens' of thousands of shorts, 
silent cartoons, feature length 
jobs, tv film originals, etc. would 
stagger you. Where needed, cov- 
ers times of day when material is 
most Suitable for use and indicates 
where cuts are in order. The work 
is done by NBC Continuity Accept- 
ance editors: New York staff-14, 
Hollywood-8, Chicago-5, and lesser 
numbers of cohorts at Cleveland 
and Washington where tv activities 
are afoot. (Our San Francisco sta- 
tion is exclusively concerned with 
radio doings.) 

We are continually amazed at 
w’hat got by in some of the old 
comedies and chillers put out by 
the Hollywood film industry. And 
some of the current horror stuff 
(Continued on page 44) 


linking, he said, to satisfy a de- 
mand by televiewers in this area. 
The Dixon show was dropped by 
WCPO-TV, a DuMont link, where 
it originated several years ago and 
remained until taken over by Du- 
Mont recently. WLW-TV is an 
NBC television affiliate. 


WENS Blasts CBS 

Pitt Maneuvers, 

Demands Hearing 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

CBS application to purchase 
WSTV in Steubenville, O., and 
move the tv station to the Pitts- 
burgh area ran into strong opposi- 
tion last week from WENS, the 
only ultra high outlet on the air in 
Pittsburgh. 

Although the netw'ork plans ‘ela- i private brands, stpre brands, re- 
borate studios’ for WSTV in Flor- ^ional brands which cannot or do 
ence. Pa. (23 miles from Pitts- not asp j re t 0 tv. 

burgh). WENS protested to ECC, j 2 .) Television is the most dis- 
no one could be so naive as to be- rU ptive because it puts the great 
lieve that CBS is paying $3,000,000 ; majority of moderate-sized prod- 


By VICTOR LEBOW 

In 1955, television will undoubt- 
edly be at one time the most effec- 
ts e, the most disruptive and the 
most expensive medium of adver- 
tising to the consumer. 

1.) It will be effective because a 
relative handful of products will 
share a monopoly of most of the 
leisure time of the American fami- 
ly. We will have over 30.000.000 
tv households th . > — r. And tele- 
vision achieves three results to an 
extern no other advertising me- 
dium has ever approached. First, 
it creates a captive audience. Sec- 
ondly, it submits that audience to 
the most i tensive indoctrination. 
Third, it operates on the entire 
family. 

True, one clgaret trumpets its 
claims, or one automobile, and then 
a competitive brand or make dis- 
plays its charms and perhaps over- 
powers the first impressions. But 
from the standpoint of competition, 
there are two observations which 
should be made at this point. First, 
even that voice of the alternative 
brand can be hushed. Those few 
two-hour all-network spectaculars 
presented by a single sponsor con- 
stitute a frightening abuse of this 
captive audience. The implications 
of this show of power must give 
pause to every American business- 
man interested in maintaining his 
right to compete. Secondly, the 
l*mitrd number of sponsors and 
the high cost of television, combine 
to produce a growing threat to the 
25,000 or so nationally advertised 
brands and the 200,000 or more 


Cronkite’s N.Y.-to-LA. 

‘You Are There’ Commuting 

Although CBS-TV’s "You Are 
There” is switching its base of op- 
eration from New York to Holly- 
wood (show is now on film instead 
of live). Walter Cronkite will re- 
main with the show as its principal 
j narrator. 

This will necessitate Cronkite do- 
j ing a N.Y.-L.A. commuting job be- 
cause of his other network telecast 
commitments in the east. He’ll fly 
out periodically wrapping up sev- 
1 eral shows at a time. 


to prov ide a tv service to a town of 
j 100 persons. If the instant pro- 
posals are approved, channel 9 will 
become the outlet for CBS pro- 
grams in the Pittsburgh area ... It 
will be fully understood on Mad- 
ison avenue that channel 9 is a 
Pittsburgh station.” 

Approval of the CBS proposal 
would remove one of two VHF sta- 
tions now operating the Wheeling- 
Stcubenville area, jeopardize the 
usefulness of other VHF channels 
allocated to the Pittsburgh area, 
and “sound the death-knell” for 
UHF in Pittsburgh. To contend 
that this is in the public interest, 
WENS asserted, “flaunts one’s in- 
telligence.” 

Charging the CBS plan with 
“trafficking in the public domain 
at its worst.” WENS urged a full 
hearing on the WSTV proposal as 
well as other recent “wheelings i 
and dealings” by the web. It 
pointed to the CBS acquisition in 
1952 of 45% of the stock of KQV 
in Pittsburgh and the disposal of 
(Continued on page 46) 


ucls at a tremendous disadvantage. 
True, it provides the spur and the 
incentive to better thinking, and 
greater ingenuity, on the -part of 
both the non-tv user as well as the 
smaller advertisers on television. 
But. at the same time, in the face 
of the evidence that 1955 will wit- 
ness the most intensive onslaught 
on retail markups, it provides a 
powerful spur to price cutting. It 
(Continued on page 42) 


UHF’er Sold for $4 

Greensboro, N. C., Jan. 11. 

The price tag on television sta- 
tions has touched a new low. 

The FCC authorized Hugh Dead- 
w-yler, Charlotte, N. C., advertising 
agency executive, to acquire Char- 
lotte station WAYS-TV for $4 plus 
assumption of liabilities. 

The purchaser of Charlotte’s 
ultra high frequency station bought 
the station from George Dowdy of 
Charlotte; Horton Daughton and 
B. C. Whitmire of Greenville. S. C., 
and Harold Toms of Asheville. 

He purchased blocks of stock 
from each of these men for $1 each, 
and assumed the station’s liabili- 
, ties. Deadwyler said these lia- 
bilities amounted to $147,000 but 
! these were virtually offset by the 
i value of the station's equipment. 


STRAUSS TAKES A 
‘PTOP’RAINCHECK 

Lewis L. Strauss, chairman of 
the Atomic Energy Commission, 
has put in for postponement on his 
Friday (14) date with Edward R. 
Murrow on CBS-TV’s “Person to 
Person.” Strauss, who while in 
Washington lives at the Wardman 
Park Hotel, was represented as 
preferring to be remoted from his 
farm home in Culpepper, Va., 
where he has his important memo- 
rabilia, pictures, prize cattle, etc. 
Word of the postponement caused 
some observers to connect it, how- 
ever, with Murrow’s filmed inter- 
view on “See It Now” with atomic 
physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, 
whose security clearance was re- 
moved by the Government. If 
Strauss appears on “P to P,” it 
will have to be either on April 29 
or June 10, the show’s two open 
dates. 

Billy Rose, who’s been . on the 
program’s “waiting list,” was 
pushed ahead to the Friday telecast 
and w^l be caught at his apartment 
in the Ziegfeld Theatre building. 
Other interviewee will be Helen 
Hayes, who had been scheduled for 
the 14th. 


Gen. Foods Dickering 
Circus Dress Rehearsal 
TV Pickup on March 29 

General Foods is dickering with 
Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey 
Circus to televise a special “dress 
rehearsal” of the circus on the 
night prior to its Madison Sq. Gar- 
den, N. Y., opening. Food outfit 
would present the show as a one- 
shot in its regular Tuesday night 
layout on NBC-TV on March 29. 

With the telecast coming on the 
night before the 1955 season open- 
ing for the circus, it’s figured that 
the national exposure given the 
troupe in its one-hour preview 
would build boxoffice for the show 
throughout the country on its post- 
New York tour. Negotiations for 
the one-shot are being handled by 
Benton & Bowles, which represents 
General Foods, and RB, B&B proxy 
John Ringling North, who would 
supervise the tele production. 
Show would include highlights of 
j the actual circus acts plus a back- 
stage tour of interview’s and 0 . 0 . 

1 of the circus setup. 


Loft Stores Sweetens 
‘Children’s Hour’ Coffers 

Loft Stores, the New York candy 
and eatery outfit, will make its ini- 
tial foray into tv programming via 
WRCA-TV’s “The Children’s 
Hour.” A vacancy occurred in the 
11 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday segment 
when Hoffman Beverages put in 
for an alternating schedule on the 
longrunner. Horn & Hardart, the 
original sponsor, holds fast to the 
10:30-11 portion on an every-week 
basis. 

Loft’s alternation starts Jan. 23 
l via the A1 Paul Lefton agency. 




Wfilnpwlay, January 12, 1955 




oil these alert adver 
PURITY BISCUIT 

Phoenix, Ariz. 

Tucson, Ariz. 

Boise, Idaho 

BURGERME1STER BEER 

Seattle, Wash. 
Spokane, Wash. 
Bakersfield, Calif. 
Chico, Calif. 

Eureka, Calif. 
Fresno-Tulare, Calif. 
Los Angeles, Calif. 
Salinas-Monterey, 
Calif. 

San Diego, Calif. 

San Francisco, Calif. 
Stockton-Sacramen- 

to, Calif, 
las Vegas, Nev. 

Reno, Nev. 


LAUGHS 

STARS! 




Wednesday, January 12, 1955 





} - ,.:-v • 


SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND EX- 
CITING EVERY WEEKI Gu#«t start 
including Eddl# Fiih#r, Charles Co* 
bum, Billio Burk#, Jimmy GI#aton, 
Lizabtth Scott and many mor#l 




■ : 






S, LITTLE MARKETS, STATE and REGIONAL AREAS 

W M 

sers, plus many more, will sell with ‘The Eddie Cantor Comddy Theatre’ 


IILLER STORES 

ienver, Colo. 

ALUNTINE’S ALE 

ongor, Me. 
ortland, Me. 
lew Haven, Conn, 
kovidence, R. I. 
loston, Mass. 

Washington, N. H. 
Rnghamton, N. Y. 
ffalo, N. Y. 
ingston, N. Y. 
Ichenectady, N. Y. 
(yracuse, N. Y. 
Springfield, Mass, 
larrisburg, Pa. 
pncaster, Pa. 
piladelphia, Pa. 

Wilkes Barre, Pa. 
Washington, D. C. 
Norfolk, Va. 
iami, Fla. 

. Petersburg, Fla. 
ew York City 


w » 

u 

ii 


SEGO MILK 

Butte, Mont. 

Great Falls, Mont. 
Boise, Idaho 
Idaho Falls, Idaho 

CONTINENTAL OIL 

Idaho Falls, Idaho 
Butte, Mont. 

Billings, Mont. 

DREWRY’S BEER 

Chicago, III. 
Indianapolis, Ind. 
Fort Wayne, Ind. 
Elkhart, Ind. 
Davenport, Iowa 
Detroit, Mich. 

Grand Rapids, Mich. 
Lansing, Mich. 
Saginaw, Mich. 
Toledo, Ohio 

KU LA-TV 

Honolulu, Hawaii 

KFDA-TV 

Amarillo, Tex. 

PRICE CREAMERIES 

El Paso, Texas 




■ 


WALL BROKERAGE 
COMPANY 

Greenville, S. C. 

ASSOCIATED GROCERS 
FOOD STORES 

Salt Lake City, Utah 

DR. PEPPER 

Roanoke, Va. 

FT. PITT BREWING 

Huntington-Charles* 
ton, W. Va. 
Wheeling, W. Va. 
Steubenville, Ohio 
Youngstown, Ohio 
Johnstowq, Pa. 

CROWN ZELLERBACH 
PAPER PRODUCTS 

Colorado Springs, 
Colo. 

Pueblo, Colo. 

El Paso, Tex. 
Albuquerque, N. M. 
Honolulu, Hawaii 

WMIN-TV 

Minneapolis-St. Paul, 
Minn. 


BLATZ BREWING 
COMPANY 

Eau Claire, Wise. 

Green Bay, Wise. 4^, 
La Crosse, Wise. 
Madison, Wise. 
Milwaukee, Wise. 
Neenah, Wise. 

Wausau, Wise. 

FORD DEALERS 

Abilene, Tex. 

Dallas, Tex. 

Lubbock, Tex. 

Midland, Tex. 

San Angelo, Tex. 
Temple-Waco, Tex. 
Tyler, Tex. 

Wichita Falls, Tex. 

JAX BEER 

Texas 
Oklahoma 
Louisiana 
part of Alabama 

COHEN FURNITURE CO. 

Peoria, III. 

JACOB S PHARMACY 

Atlanta, Ga. 


VI ESTES DEPARTMENT 
ry/s TORE 

Rochester, Minn. 

GRIESEDIECK BREWING 

Kansas City, Mo. 

St. Louis, Mo. 

BROWN DISTRIBUTING " 

Columbia, $. C. 

KOB-TV 

Albuquerque, N. M. 

SOUTHLAND PROVISION 

Columbia, S. C. 

Charleston, S. C. 

Florence, S. C. 

ROCHESTER MILK 
PRODUCTS ASSN. 

Rochester, N. Y. 

FISHER BROS. 
SUPERMARKETS 

Cleveland, Ohio 

WIEDEMANN BEER 

Cincinnati, Ohio 
Columbus, Ohio 
Dayton, Ohio 


P 


r. 


NEW YORK* CINCINNATI • HOLLYWOOD 


< 








34 


TELEVISION REVIEWS 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


SO THIS IS HOLLYWOOD 
With Mitzi Green, Virginia, Gib- 
son, Jimmy Lydon, Gordon 
Jones, others 
Producer: Ed Beloin 
Director: Richard Bare 
Writers: Beloin, Dean Riesner, 
Phil Davis. George O’Hanlon, 
Jimmy O’Hanlon, Charles Stew- 
art 

30 Mins.; Sat., 8:30 p.m. 

TONI 

NBC-TV, from Hollywood (film) 

(Weiss cSr Geller! 

The staffers connected with “So 
This Is Hollywood” are profes- 
sionals in every sense of the word. 
From producer Ed Beloin through 
the cast which includes Mitzi | 
Green, Virginia Gibson, Jimmy 
Lydon and Gordon Jones, this 
filmed show is populated with tal- 
ents that presumably know their 
business. Consequently, it can be , 
assumed that after a few shake- i 
down shows, this filmed situation 
comedy should get down to dis- 
pensing some worthwhile enter- 
tainment. 

Series revolves around Two 
femme extras. Being filmed, it’s 
possible to get a lot of the color of 
the film centre, have a backstage 
locale and still tell a story in hu- 
morous terms. 

First episode tried too obviously 
to start off with a splash. The 
story and characters seemed under 
too great a strain of trying to get 
off on the right foot. A lot of un- 
necessary comedy devices were 
used that didn’t do the story much 
good. 

Initial episode had Miss Green, 
playing Queenie Dugan, and Vir - 1 
ginia Gibson as her roommate. 
Kim Tracy, trying to imnress a 
columnist from Miss Gibson’s 
hometown. Miss Gibson is palmed 
off as a major star, and the rest of 
the cast works hard to continue 
that illusion. Miss Green gets a , 
chance to do some of her imnres- 
sions. But it’s her voice that’s 
very striking. It seems to be in a | 
baritone register. A viewer has to 
get used to its texture before lik- 
ing it. Jimmy Lydon as the office- 1 
in-his-hat agent who handles the 
extras, and Gordon Jones as Miss , 
Green’s gentleman friend, seem I 
like good contributors. Series 
should hit its stride as soon as the 
army of writers headed by B^’-'in. 
gets in step. Jose. 


A N Y. DOCUMENT 

With James Macandrow, Dane 

Clark, Bonny Bird, others 
Producer: Robert Herridge 
Director: Jon Fngel 
30 Mins.: Sun. (9), 2 p.m. 
WCBS-TV, N.Y. 

A hanpy collaboration was last 
Sunday’s pne-shot half-hour video 
stanza by WCBS-TV and the Fed- 
eration of Jewish Philanthropies 
of N.Y. Though it was basicallv a 
pitch for coin to holster the Fed- 
eration's 116 member agencies, it 
was interesting and a film, “Three 
Gifts.” that comprised part of the 
show was so exceptional in parts 
that regular educational and in- 
formational vidcasts could benefit 
by making permanent room for 
those responsible. 

James Macandrew. having only 
a few hours earlier finished host- 
ing his weekly WCBS-TV “Camera 
Three.” acted in a similar role for 
the Federation’s show. Tt began, 
in that fashion which WCBS has 
been making capital of for a long 
time now. with moppets in leotards 
pranced through some elementary 
terping at one of the Federation’s 
agencies, the 92d St. YMIIA- 
YWCA. Y teacher Bonny Bird got 
some exciting results by getting 
the kids to imagine certain ani- 
mals and then dance them out in 
a charade-tvpe game. Thereafter 
she narrated them through a 
pleasant fable about animals. Live 
camera work was smooth through- 
out. 

Star of the program, thoueh. 
was the film made by Gjon Mill 
and Ike Vcrn. who handled pedes- 
trian material very well. Much of 
the “Three Gifts” vidfilm success 
was scribbler Sam Elkin's doing 
too. Film covered three Federa- 
tion facets, a cancer hospital, a 
home for the aged and a home for 
malajusted juves. In handling 
these old subjects, Elkin found a 
stimulating key for comparison: 
the “Gifts” were health (from can- 
cer!; security and usefulness (for 
the aged*, and happiness and ad- 
justment (for the kids!. Without 
ever speaking out loud his points, 
his short script and the Mili-Vern 
cameras took the viewer through 
the various institutions, providing 
highly dramatic flashes of troubled 
children and of cancer treatment. 
Material was all the more socko 
because of the casual way the cam- 
era caught the subjects in action. 
Dane Clark's narration was neat 
•Iso. 4 rt. 

i m ; i • i , 


SWIFT’S SHOW WAGON 
With Horace Heidt and troupe, 
guests 

Producer: Jerry Brown 
Director: Joseph Cavalier 
30 Mins.; Sat., 7:30 p.m. 

SWIFT & CO. 

NBC-TV, f'on Hollywood 

(J. Walter Thompson) 

Horace Heidt. who had a “Youth i 
Opportunity” series cn tv a couple | 
of years ago, is apparently back 
at the same stand with this new 
show. According to the prospectus. 
Heidt will safari across the coun- 
try hunting new talent for spot- 
light ng on “Swift’s Show Wagon." 
wh en will originate from different 
c.ties each week. 

Heidt. however devoted the kick- 1 
off stanza <8* to a backward glance 
at the talent discoveries that he 1 
made in years past. The result 
was an okay vaudeo layout. Art 
Carney, Jackie Gleason’s sidekick, 
did a neat brace of impersonations. 
Frankie Carle was spotlighted in 
a piano medley of his disk bits 
while Fred Lowry was impressive 
in his whistling chorus of “High 
and The Mighty” while the King 
Sisters came out of retirement for 
one of the show’s highlights with 
their snappy workover of “Dipsy 
Doodle,” assisted by Alvino Rey 
and Frank DeVoJ. 

As emcee. Heidt errs in not 
working from a well-written 
script. On the preem, his gab 
veered to the most routine cliches 
and dM not ring with sincerity. 
His closing address was also a 
case of flagrant and ineffective 
commercialism. After talking about 
the “American Way” and how the 
Swift company was helping him 
encourage new talent 'all perfectly 
okay up to this point*. Heidt 
closed “so make sure to ask for 
Swift products,” etc. In general, 
this show tended to over-saturated 
with plugs which were inserted 
virtually after every number. 

Herm. 


WAY OF THE WORLD 

With Gloria Louis, others 

Producer: Therese Lewis 

Director: Frederick Carr 

15 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 10:30 a.m. 

Participating 

NBC-TV. from N. Y. 

Format of “Way of the World,” 1 
which bowed in the Monday-thru- 
Fridav 10:30-10:45 a.m. slot on 
NBC-TV last week, is to offer 
dramas in serialized form. Stories 
presented are to he told in as many 
episodes as necessary w ithout 
pruning or stretching the basic 
material. Initial offering. “In De- 
fense of Eve Peterson.” by Harry 
Junkin. will be related in 11 in- 
stallments. .Judging by the epi- 
sode caught last Thursday 6'. yarn 
has the basic ingredients to draw 
hausfrau attention. 

Different performers will be 
used for each complete drama. 
Holding down the lead roles in 
J unkin's story are Claudia Morgan 
and Philip Reed. Only regular on 
the show is Gloria Louis, who as 
Linda Porter links the serials to- 
gether and also handles the com- 
mercials. At present, program is 
sponsored Monday. Wednesday and 
Friday by the Borden Co. 

Current story deals with a hap- 
pily married husband and wife 
acting team. Distaffer, however, ; 
is losing her hearing and as cf last 
Thursday was still intent on keep- | 
ing the news from her spouse in 
hope that a cure might be found 
other than a hearing aid. Per- ! 
formances by Miss Morgan and 
Reed as the couple are satisfactory, j 

Jess. 


MRS. DOBSON’S MIRACLE 
With Flora Campbell, Nell Harri- 
son, John Seymour, Howard 
Smith, Lou Prentis, Helen Ger- 
ald. Calvin Thomas, Kim Chan, 
Barry' Macollum, Lucille Fenton, 
Fred Irving Lewis, Frances 
Meehan: John Cameron Swayze 
Director: Leo Seltzer 
Writer: Harry Muheim 
30 Mins.; Sat. (8!, 2 p.m. 
WRCA-TV, N. Y. 

“Mrs. Dobson’s Miracle” is a 
solid pitch for The Eye-Bank for 
Sight Restoration. Half-hour film 
made by Times Square Produc- 
tions in color, but televised over 
WRCA-TV last Saturday (8) in 
black and white, highlights the 
work being done by the Eye-Bank 
via a semi-documentary dramatiza- 
tion. Revolving around a woman, 
blind for a number of years, the 
pic details the steps taken by her 
and the Bank to restore her vision 
with a cornea from a dead person’s 
eye. 

Film made no bones about being 
an outright plea for cash and eye 
donations. In the latter case, eyes 
are willed to the Bank upon death. 
However, the worthiness of the 
work done by the Bank, as demon- 
strated in the pic, justified the 
plea. Film should stimulate inter- 
est in the operation, with resultant 
coin and cornea contributions. 

Acting was generally good, with 
John Cameron Swayze doing a 
smooth job of narrating. Jess. 
Si'll lit » ' * i • i I 


NEW YEAR’S IN NEW YORK 
With Orson Bean, Bob & Ray, 
Teddy Wilson, Honey Dreamers, 
Bud & Cece Robinson, Stan Ru- 
bin’s Tigertown Five, Betty Cox, 
Tommy Furtado, Alfredo An- 
tonine Orch, Tito Rodriguez 
Orch, Bud Collyer 
Director: Ned Cramer 
120 Mins.: Fri„ (31), 11:30 p.m. 
PIEL’S BEER 
WCBS-TV, N. Y. 

(Younrj & Rubicam) 
WCBS-TV in N.Y. rung in 1955 
with a gay. sprawling variety show 
that was appropriate for this un- 
critical occasion. There was a lot 
of music, a liberal portion of com- 
edy and frequent shots of the mobs 
gathering in Times Square to greet 
the New Year. At the stroke of 
midnight, the camera caught the 
flash from the New York Times 
sign so viewers knew then it was 
official. 

Orson Bean, who is being 
primed for a top tv slot on CBS 
this year, was the show’s chief 
comedian, appearing about every 
15 minutes with a different rou- 
tine. Bean is an amusing zany 
with a slightly highbrow touch to 
some of his satire but not too 
esoteric for mass audiences de- 
spite his intime nitery training. 
For this clambake, he delivered a 
good number of laughs, although 
frequently falling back on familiar 
lines. With a good script. Bean 
has the talent and the timing to 
make it pay off. 

Also in the comedy department 
with solid results were the antics 
of Bob Sc Ray. This duo popped 
up on the show at various times in 
the guise of foreign correspondents 
reportinjg on how the New Year’s 
was being celebrated in exotic 
lands. It was cleverly and ex- 
pertly handled in the duo’s cus- 
tomary dry style with the Piel’s 
musical theme worked in humor- 
ously. 

Musical portions of the show 
were competently handled by the 
Alfredo Antonini orchestra with 
the Honey Dreamers and vocalists 
Betty Cox and Tommy Fuatado 
delivering the year's top pops. Tito 
Rodriquez and his Latin combo 
handled the mabo output while 
Stan Rubin and his Tigertoun Five, 
with one assist from Bean in a 
comedy slot, dished up the Dixie- 
land rhythms. Also spotted in 
several able hoofing routines were 
Bud & Cece Robinson. 

Bud Collyer hosted the proceed- 
ings amiably with Robert Trout 
handling the coverage from Times 
Square. Herm. 


JEWISH HOME SHOW 

With Ruth Jacobs, Merrill Joels, 

guests 

Producer-director: Sholom Rubin- 
stein 

30 Mins.: Thurs., 3:30 p.m. 

Participating 

WATV, Newark 

In a move to nab a mid-day 
Jewish audience. Newark’s WATV j 
has programmed two new shows 
geared for that sect. They are 
“Jewish Talent Unlimited.” aired 
Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and “Jew- 
ish Home Show ,” which bowed last 
Thursday '6* at the same time, i 
“Home Show” is designed pri- ! 
marily for femme consumption. ! 
Initialcr, however, was a little too 
self-conscious and saccharin for 
comfort. 

Program is anglicized, with an 
occasional Yiddish expression or 
word thrown in to emphasize the 1 
Jewish flavor. Ruth Jacobs does 
the hostessing on show, which is 
devoted to cooking tips, interviews 
and guest contributions. Assisting 
Miss Jacobs, who displays an ami- 
able personality, is Merrill Joels. 
Latter had very little to do other 
than help Miss Jacobs out during 
a cooking lesson. 

Guesting on program were ' 
Moishe Oysher, cantor and concert 
singer, and Avraham Harmon, the ( 
Consul-General of the Israelie 
Government. Former gave power- 
ful piping to both English and 
Jewish selections, while latter was 
interviewed by Miss Jacobs on the 
situation in Israel. Show is spon- 
sored by Minute Rice, Bird’s Eye 
Foods and Instant Maxwell House 
Coffee. 

Jess. 


SCOPE 

(Sunshine Town) 

With Jean Ramsay, Joseph Runner, 
Paul Kligman, Alex McKee, Lib- 
by Morris, Robert Christie, John 
Bethune, Josephine Barrington, 
Robert Goulet, Margot Christie, 
others 

Producer: Norman Campbell 
Writer: Mavor Moore 
Choreography: Don Gillie* 

90 Mins., Sun. 10 p.m. 

(Sustaining) 

CBC-TV, from Toronto 
“Scope” is a new 90-minute 
series somewhat on the style of the 
Canadian Broadcasting C o r p ’ s 
weekly “Wednesday Night” radio 
programs, these usually criticized 
as being too highbrow in flavor; but 
they have their following on less 
limited audience appeal. “Scope,” 
< ( 


Tele Follow-Up Comment 


After signing that Buick deal, 
Jackie Gleason took it on the lam 
to the Coast for a two-week rest 
and the Dorsey Bros, moved in to 
fill the comic’s Saturday hour spot 
on CBS-TV. The orchsters ran 
the same course last summer when 
they spelled Gleason for 12 weeks 
so they know their way around a 
video show. 

Tag for the Dorseys’ hour is 
“Stage Show" and they make it 
just that. In fact it’s just a young 
cousin of Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of 
the Town” operation on the same 
web Sunday evenings. It’s a run- 
of-the-vaude format with acros, 
singers and comedy interspersed 
with some nifty Dorsey instru- 
mentalizing and it usually adds up 
to a lively hour. 

On their second outing Saturday 
(8), lineup was strong on singers, 
Patti Page and Johnnie Ray. 
They’re both socko pop purveyors 
and belted with style. Ray had the 
bobbjsoxers in the aud screaming 
over his workover of “Please Don't 
Talk About Me When I’m Gone,” 
“Cry” and “I’m Gonna Walk and 
Talk With My Lord.” Miss Page 
was effective in a more quiet way, 
especially piping “You Too Can Be 
a Dreamer.” 

Rounding out the layout were 
acro-comic Larry Griswold, jug- 
gler Francis Braun and the Wazan 
troupe, a slick aero team. Henny 
Youngman covered a lot of topical 
ground in a neat standup patter 
stint. 

The Dorseys came up with a 
warm rendition of “There Are 
Such Things” featuring Tommy on 
trombone and Jimmy on sax and 
drummer Buddy Rich came 
through at the windup with a 
snappy skin-beating job on “Quiet 
Please.” Gros. 


and columnist Hedda Hopper (lat- 
ter on for a quickie) managed to 
contribute zest and heartiness to 
the proceedings. Nick Castles 
Dancers were in there cheerily to 
excite whistles, as was prime 
looker Anita Ekbfrg in a skit bit 
Holden, by the way, was worked 
into the show often and niftily, not 
| merely as Hollywood star timber 
with nothing more important than 
a "hello.” 

Miss Whiting had an extended 
song and caper stint with Hope 
and chirped “Heat Wave ’ on her 
ow-n with the terping contingent as 
| background. Music was by the 
USAF’s Crew Chiefs and they did 
well. Finale had Air Force Secre- 
| tary Harold E. Talbott and Lt. 
Gen. Emmett (Rosy) O’Donnell 
(deputy chief of staff for person- 
nel) greeting the boys. 

This was the first “Comedy 
Hour” offshore and of course the 
first on Danish soil. 'Hope made 
sure no one forgot about the Den- 
mark basing by an observation of 
how “mixed up” things were at the 
base, with its Christine connota- 
tion.) It’s obvious Hope knows as 
much military lingo as the GIs 
themselves and all the references 
paid off on the mitt and laugh 
meters. The comic could have 
stood up there for the whole hour. 
He knows exactly what they want 
to hear. No other performer that 
comes to mind wears so well on 
our military personnel. Trau. 


Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the 
Town” on CBS Sunday '9! offered 
no top names, no headliners. The 
lineup of acts was somewhat non- 
descript. and the timing and slot- 
ting faulty, so that what resulted 
was a lacklustre show. Opener had 
Jose Greco and a quartet of fem- 
mes in a Spanish dance number, 
followed by a scene from the 
Broadway legiter, “Kismet,” with 
the new lead replacements, Elaine 
Malbin and Richard Oneto, singing 
the “Stranger in Paradise” num- 
ber. 

Then came a lengthy pickup 
from Philadelphia, where “Ice Fol- 
lies of 1955” is currently playing, 
of five scenes from the skate show. 
Although these were interesting 
and varied, with comedy routines 
and strong solo turns interspersed 
with two line numbers, this seg- 
ment seemed overlong for a well- 
balanced "Toast” show. This was 
followed by presentation of a USO- 
Camp Shows Hollywood vaude 
unit headed by Forrest Tucker, 
the various members contributing 
their specialties of song, comedy, 
music and magic briefly. 

Windup — and an odd closer for 
thi§ show — was a new Parisian aero 
act. Trio Gypsies, comprising three 
highly proficient artists (two husky 
males and a slight femme*, act 
consisting entirely of the males 
tossing the femme deftly back and 
forth through the air. Broil. 


Bob Hope took over the NBC-TV 
"Comedy Hour” for Colgate on 
Sunday <9! with an hour of cellu- 
loid edited from his New Year's 
Eve appearance at Denmark’s 
Thule Airbase in Greenland, where 
he fractured our GIs. The laughs 
rolled as Hope & Co. panicked ’em 
with a succession of gags and tid- 
bits on (1) girls, (2) Army and Air 
Force brass, (3* girls and (4) girls. 
No performer of this age can do 
what this comic accomplishes be- 
fore a uniformed crowd, having 
long since established himself as 
the one man for whom the Armed 
Forces have the highest regard. 

"Comedy Hour” looked a bit 
strange in its film dress and some 
of the reelage was fuzzy. The lens- 
ing was shoddy in spots and the 
editing ditto, particularly since it 
was made obvious that this was not 
a continuous playout in view of 
Hope’s numerous changes of garb. 
Also, the sound was uneven. But 
Hope and his troupe, consisting of 
William Holden, Jerry Colonna, 
Margaret Whiting, Robert Strauss 

the new CBC-TV series, will have 
no sustained format and, in sub- 
sequent weeks, will jump from 
drama to music, ballet, painting 
and the documentary, with much 
of the subject matter experimen- 
tal. It’s an unsponsored venture, 
with the State-operated radio-tv 
set-up assuming tne hefty produc- 
tion costs. 

For the teeoff, however, CBC-TV 
avoided any viewer soul-searching 
(Cpntinued pn , page 40) 


NBC-TV’s periodic talks with 
the mental giants of this era is not 
only valuable as a document of 
record, but as an insight into the 
mental apparatus of those lofty 
IQs. In the filmed interview with 
Sir Osbert Sitwell by Samuel 
Chotzinoff, NBC’s longhair music 
director, Sunday (2* he was revealed 
as an aloof mind somewhat con- 
temptuous of the mass, and one 
who bemoans the passing of the 
aristocracy. 

Sir Osbert. an eminent poet, 
critic, essayist and novelist, holds 
an extremely dim view of the era 
of the common man. He says it 
can only lead to a police state. Sit- 
well admired James Joyce, who 
brought a sense of poetry into 
prose. T. S. Eliot. Virginia Woolf 
and Gertrude Stein. 

Sir Osbert is an excellent inter- 
view subject because of his likes 
and dislikes. His language is 
strong and colorful. He repre- 
sents an aristocracy in literature 
with little root in the people. Com- 
ing from a family that includes a 
noted poet, Edith, and a distin- 
guished art critic. Sacheverell. Sir 
Osbert has apparently looked up- 
wards from his ivory tower at 
Renishaw Hall. When he does oc- 
casionally peer down in the direc- 
tion of the people, he apparently 
doesn't like what he sees — and he 
makes no bones about it. 

Chotzinoff handled the interview 
excellently, first getting the writer 
to express his views and then hav- 
ing him read portions from his 
works backing, these views. 

It's an interesting series that the 
network has promulgated. The 
conversations have already includ- 
ed talks with Bertrand Russell, 
Robert Frost. Frank Lloyd Wright 
and others. The series represents 
many hues of thought and philoso- 
phy and in its entirety is likely to 
give a mental picture of these 
times that will provide a valuable 
reference in years to come. 

Jose. 


With Jackie Gleason on the sec- 
ond leg of his fortnight vacation, 
one of his solid “& Company” sup- 
ports was picking up a few extra 
bucks on a busman’s binge. That 
would be Art Carney, who starred 
with Jane Darwell in “Climax” on 
CBS-TV last Thursday <6* and two 
days later helped launch Horace 
Heidt’s “Show Wagon” over on 
NBC’s tv lanes. The “Climax” 
presentation. “The Bigger They 
Come,” pretended to be a once- 
over -lightly mysterioso adapted 
from the assembly line of Erie 
Stanley Gardner. What actually 
emerged was a not so merry mix- 
up, with plots and sub-plots so 
complicated that it’s doubtful 
whether any of the cast knew the 
score. One viewer didn't. 

Carney can be a gem on timing, 
mannerism and way with a line, 
but this outing found him weighted 
down by shenanigans of the “Sus- 
pense” strip elongated to an over- 
long 60 minutes. He just ambled 
through the doings as best he 
could, as did Miss Darwell. veteran 
Hollywood character actress who 
was miscast as proprietress of a 
down - at - the - heels private eye 
agency employing Carney. Others 
in the cast — mostly molls — were 
Mary Beth Hughes, Jean Porter, 
Beverly Tyler and Jonathan Hole, 
the latter standing out. Trau. 


) 


i * 


nff 


. < i f 


i i 


1 1 * 



We<ln<*«I®y, January 12 t 1955 


TKI.KVISIOX HEVIKWS 35 


Murrow & Oppenheimer 

Over and above the merit of last Tuesday’s Ml ‘See It Now” 
tv stanza emerged once more the steadfast consistency and honesty 
of Edward R- Murrow and the CBS network. From a condensed 
and filmed two-hour conversation between Murrow and J. Robert 
Oppenheimer in the latter’s office at the Institute for Advanced 
Study in Princeton, N. J., Murrow presented a “See It Now” 
program that exemplified democracy at work. In a questionand-* 
answer period in which he judiciously led Oppenheimer to voice 
}, is personal creed and the basic thinking of scientists and intellec- 
tuals today Murrow gave the television audience an opportunity 
to see and hear a controversial figure. 

Oppenheimer is endowed with a warmth and personal magnetism 
that greatly enhanced the program and was all to his advantage in 
projecting his views, yet the primary motive of the discussion was 
to give the viewer an easily understandable version of his think- 
ing and beliefs. By cautious and shrewd questioning Murrow 
elicited from Oppenheimer hiS thinking on the hydrogen bomb, * 
the uerils inherent' in secrecy, the great need for freedom, and the 
value to the country of institutes for the study of pure science. 
There was nothing didactic in his approach, nothing bitter in his 
manner. His language was simple, his speech halting as if at 
times groping for the exact words. Pertinent facts were presented 
of great value to people in search of the truth, and a service was 
rendered by tv in permitting the truth to be heard. 

. A full hour version of the interview is being made available to 
colleges. Rose. 


GOOD TIMES . 

With Judy Holliday, Steve Allen, 
The Ritz Bros., Dick Shawn, Rod | 
Alexander & Bambi Linn, Tim- 
my Everett, Carmen Guittierez, 
others 

Producer-director: Max Liebman 
Writers: William Friedberg, Fred 
Saidy, Neal Simon. Will Glick- 
man, William Jacobson 

90 Mins., Sun. (2), 7:30 p.m. 
SUNBEAM. HAZEL BISHOP 
NBC-TV, from N.Y. (color) 

( Perrin Paus, Spector) 

Max Liebman apparently has 
decided on the “fight fire with 
fire" strategy as regards his Sunday i 
night spectaculars vis-a^vis Ed * 
Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town.” | 
For Liebman has relegated his 
book show productions to the \ 
Saturday night showcasings and is ! 
bucking Sullivan on the once-a- 
month Sunday stanzas with a now- 
pat semi-variety setup fashioned 
somewhat after his old “Show of ; 
Shows” with Judy Holliday, Steve 
Allen and Dick Shawn as the 
regulars and a guest team as an 
added marquee lure. 

It's a strategy of dubious wisdom, 
lioweWr — for two reasons. One is 
that Sullivan is a hard man to beat 
at his own game. Liebman’s "Good 
Times,” for example, had the Ritz 
Bros, as the guestars. but it’s com- 
monplace for Sullivan to come up 
with a couple of acts of equal 
attraction on his regular outings, 
let alone one a month. A second 
is that Sullivan’s "Toast” has the 
virtue of consistency stemming 
from the u§e of standard acts with 
their own material (usually good/ 
to surefire', while Liebman must 
depend largely on his regular writ- 
ing stable to come up with a 
winner each time out. And that 
such a reliance isn’t always re- 
warded is exemplified by last Sun- 
day's spec, “Good Times.” 

If anyone had a good time, it 
was the “Toast" viewers, for Lieb- 
man and his staff laid their biggest 
egg of the season. “Good Times” 
was anything but — it was a dull 
and tired series of sketches that 
lacked warmth and imagination, 
let alone humor, and the only 
relief came in the form of the Ritz 
boys, whose madcapperies lent zest 
to an otherwise flat segment even 
though here the swish stuff was i 
in questionable taste. Miss Holli- 
day got stuck with a couple of sad 
sketches that even her brightness 
couldn’t bail out — one a movie- 
and-popcorn bit which is becom- 
ing altogether too familiar, the 
other as a star in an opening night 
party suggestive of “Light Up the 
Sky” but not nearly as funny. To 
her credit, she scored more strong - 1 
ly in a Harpo Marx impression. 

Allen performed as emcee and i 
as a sort of fillin specialty act once 
as a pianist in a boogie number, ; 
and throughout as a standup 
•actually, he sat) comedian. His 
stuff becomes more and more of 
the take-it-or-leave-it variety, and 
Sunday’s share seemed to be the ' 
leavings. Shawn’s role was limited 
to one stint, a sometimes funny 
but somewhat overdrawn compari- 
son of the human vs. the animal 
voice. Ritz boys (with a writing ! 
assist from Sid Kuller) turned the 
trick with a Mexican disk jockey 
turn, Harry’s standard Johann 
Strauss bit and some topflight 
eccentric terping to the tune of 
Dragnet.” On the dance side, Rod 
Alexander and Bambi Linn teamed 
"'th Carmen Guittieriez and Tim- 
my Everett in a Latino-styled 
precisioner (much like the work of 
the Hamilton Trio that so nicely 
graced “Show of Shows") titled 
Iwo Ladies in the Shade of a 
Banana Tree.” and Alexander and 
Miss Linn shone later on in a 
blues number that lay much more 
*n their own metier. (Backdrop 
used in this number wa* one used 
previously in “Show of Shows," 


PRINCETON ’55 

With Princeton U. faculty and 

guests 

Executive Producer: Steve Krantz 
Producer: Harry Olesker 
Director: Janies Elson 
30 Mins., Sun., 3 p.m. 

Sustaining 

NBC-TV, from N. Y. 

Having embarked on a local 
(N. Y.) television career last sea- j 
son with the aid of WRCA-TV 
(then WNBT), Princeton U. has 
grown to network proportions in 
a current series designed as “an 
exploration into education through 
television, with special emphasis 
on the arts and sciences.” Any- 
thing calculated to arrest a view- 
er’s attention in the direction of 
culture and away from the medi- 
um’s standard fare is a worthy 
project to begin with. 

The university started off on 
the first Sunday of the new year 
<2> with “Communists and Who 
They Are," conducted by Dr. 
Gabriel A. Almond, professor of 
Public and International Affairs. 
Professional actors were used for ; 
a study of case histories of Ameri- 
can and Italian Communists — 
“hard core” and otherwise. Its 
basic weakness, unfortunate as a 
starter, was its staginess. The uni- 
versity should leave such drama- 
tizations to video’s teleplays and 
players. Moreover, there was little 
of appreciable significance as to 
the “Commie mind” brought out; 
surely not enough for those to 
whom the educationaler is de- 
signed to appeal. The web’s “Back- 
ground" program, particularly the 
one done recently on Communism 
in Italy with the “little picture” j 
approach, was a much more strik- 
ing presentation. Nevertheless, the 
premiere demonstrated a willing- 
ness to take some new' paths in 
tackling a subject of such uni- 
versal interest. 

Last Sunday (9) “Princeton ’55” 
seemed more in the groove — mean- 
ing the home-gaited classroom — 
with “Enjoyment of Poetry.” Rob- 
ert Frost, the poet, proved that 
he is also an “actor” of consider- 
able gifts by fencing about the 
interpretation of his “The Witch 
of Coos” with the ringmaster, Dr. 
Lawrence R. Thompson, professor 
of English at the U. Frost kicked 
off by reading a few lines of the 
dramatic work on ghosts, then the 
full reading was done deftly by | 
Broadway actress Mildred Dunnock 
with Jamie Smith handling a few | 
lines as her son. It proved a power- 
ful treatise in low key. 

Following the dramatics. Frost 
and Dr. Thompson exchanged 
views on meanings, with the Patri- 
archal Vermonter insisting, crusti- 
ly here and humorously there, that 
he offers no “hints.” that the 
poetry is plain from his point of 
view, and that interpretation is too 
much like explaining a joke. It is 
this kind of amiable disagreement 
between presider and creator that 
makes a “show” without the neces- 
sity of digging deep down into 
the AFTRA barrel, as was done 
the previous week, for coldblood- 
edly inserting the “showmanship” j 
values in an educational program. 

Steve Krantz. program director 
of WRCA-TV. is serving as execu- 
tive head of the series, with Harry 
Olesker producing and James El- 
son directing. Trail. 


which might point to some budget- 
tightening.) 


Production values were, after 
the usual Liebman fashion, top- 
flight, Charles Sanford’s show 
backing was excellent 'but some- 
how, he sneaked a tango beat into 
the Bavarian production number 
finale*, and the compatible black 
and white reception of the color 
signal wa*' cleaver than usual. 

Chan. 




I 


ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 
(Best of Broadway) 

With Helen Hayes. Boris Karloff, 

Peter Lorre, Billie Rprke, Orson 

Bean, Edward Everett Horton, 

John Alexander, Bruce Gordon, 

Pat Breslin, Allan Tower, King 

Calder, Richard Bishop, others 
Producer: Martin Manulis 
Director: Herbert Bayard Swope 

Jr. 

Writers: Howard Lindsay, Russel 

Crouse 

60 Mins., Wed. (5). 10 p.m. 
WESTINGHOUSE 
CBS-TV, from N.Y. (color) 

( McCaun-Erickson ) 

“Best of Broadway.” which has ! 
had a spotty record in its once-a- 
month remakes of the best Broad- 
way legiters so far this season, 
finally hit the jackpot with “Ar- 
senic and Old Lace." It’s hard to 
see how it could have missed with I 
the Joseph Kesselring farce, what 
with Howard Lindsay and Russel 
Crouse (who produced the play on 
Broadway) adapting and Helen 
Hayes, Boris Karloff. Peter Lorre 
and Billie Burke heading thescast. 
But “Best” has had topflight casts 
and fine plays before and some- 
how fouled them up — this time, 
however, producer Martin Manulis 
turned out an hour of the most 
gratifying tv comedy seen this 
season. 

Much of the credit lies in the 
casting with Miss Hayes turning 
in a superb job in the old Josephine 1 
Hull role. Karloff as menacing as ; 
ever as brother Jonathan. Orson 
Bean providing extra comedy re- 
lief as the sane member of the 
Brewster family, Peter Lorre’s 
comic flair as Dr. Einstein (Her- 
mann, not Alfred, as someone in 
the play explains) and of course 
John Alexander in his familiar 
Teddy Roosevelt characterization. 
All of them, with Miss Burke as 
the absent-minded of the sisters. 
Edward Everett Horton as the 
punch-line victim and Richard 
Bishop as the unhappy Lt. Rooney, 
gave beautifully polished perform- 
ances that made each line, gesture 
and situation appear as easy and 
natural as if they had been doing ! 
it on Broadway nightly for the past 
year. . 

Add to this the Lindsay-Crouse 
adaptation, which retained the j 
meat of the story without sacri- j 
ficing any of the lines or zaniness 
of situation, the fast-paced but 
logically - building direction of 
Herbert Bayard Swope Jr. and the 
all-round production values sup- 
plied by Manulis, and the sum 
total is the best tv comedy of the 
year. 

Apart from the expertness of the 
entire production, including the 
performances, a few extra words 
should be said about Miss Hayes, 
Karloff, Lorre and Bean. Although 
her talents as a comedienne aren’t 
exactly unknown, Miss Hayes’ stint 
was a complete delight, from the 
timing of every line to the facial 
expressions of disappointment 
when dissuaded from continuing ! 
her favorite “charity.” Karloff and 
Lorre made the perfect murderous 
pair, relishing every' line and turn- 
ing them out beautifully. And 
Bean, playing the sane member of 
the family, added some comedy re- 
lief of his own in fine double-take 
fashion. Chan. 


PROFESSIONAL FATHER 
With Steve Dunne, Barbara Bil- 
lingsley, Ted Marc, ■ Beverly 
Washburn, Ann O’Neal, Phyllis 
Coates, Arthur Q. Bryan, Harry 
Cheshire, Sammy Ogg 
Producer: Harry Kronman 
Director: Sherman Marks 
Writers: Jafhes OTIanlan, Robert 
Ross, David Schwartz 
30 Mins.: Sat., 10 p.m. 

HELENE CURTIS 
CBS-TV, from Hollywood 

(Earl Ludgin, Gordon Best ) 
Steve Dunne, who’s been around 
CBS-TV for a long time, is upped 
to star status in his own series. 
“Professional Father,” which takes 
over the spot vacated by “That’s 
My Boy.” Initial episode of Dunne 
as a child psychologist was weak, 
marred by an uneven script that 1 
had its moments, but too few of 
them. 

There was more premise than 1 
promise in the teeoff stanza. 
Dunne’s tome on child psychology ; 
is about to be published and that’s ! 
seemingly a sound premise for the , 
chapter. But the writers got mired 
down in a series of sight gags too 
broad for real humor. 

Acting was uniformly good, de- 
spite the fact that the script made ! 
the cast resort to some ludicrous 
stunts. Dunne deserves better nia- j 
terial, for he’s a good situation 
comedy performer. Barbara Bil- 
lingsley was charming and compe- 
tent as his spouse, Beverly Wash- 
burn and Ted Marc okay in kid 
roles. Ann O’Neal, Arthur Q Bryan. 
Harry Cheshire and Sammy Ogg , 
lent good support. 

Director Sherman Marks was 
stifled by the material handed him 
by writers James O’Hanlan, Robert 
Ross and* 'David Schwartz. 

Daku. I 


NORBY 

With David Wayne, Joan Lorring, 1 

Susan Hallaran, Evan Elliott, 

Janice Mars, Ralph Dunn, Carol 

Veazie, others 
Producer: David Swift 
Director: Richard Whorf 
Writers: Harvey Orkin, James Lee, 

David Rayfiel, George Kirgo 
30 Mins., Wed., 7 p.m. 

EASTMAN KODAK 

NBC-TV, from New York (color- 

film) 

(J. Walter Thompson) 

“Norby” is Eastman Kodak’s ini- 
tial splurge into tv programming. 
Time and talent, it’s a $3,0()0.000 
(annual) kickolT, indicative of the 
company’s faith in the medium \ 
and the property it's acquired. 
Half-hour situation comedy, cre- 
ated. produced and supervised by 
David Swift and starring David 
Wayne, is, natch, a tinted cellu- 
loid entry, utilizing Eastman Color ' 
Print film. The NBC-TV slotting 
is Wednesday at 7 — and that’s ' 
about the only fringe aspect of \ 
what otherwise, from a production 
standpoint, is qualitative, bigtime | 
film making. You can be sure if 
it’s Eastman Kodak. 

Story-wise, the verdict on “Nor- 
by” is tentative, predicated on 
where it’s going in future install- 
ments. Initial episode made no 
more pretense than to introduce 
the dramatis personae and estab- , 
lish the locale and slim framework 
for whatever might be upcoming. 
The audience, as such, has met 
Norby (Wayne) upon his elevation 
from bank teller to the vicepresi- 
dent “in charge of small loans” J 
of the First National Bank in Pearl j 
River. His attractive wife (Joan | 
Lorring) has been introduced, 
along with the two Norby kids, j 
Also the assorted characters one ! 
would expect to find in a small 
tow n banking institution. Pearl ! 
River, too. is "on location" for ! 
real, the suburban New York com- 
munity with its treelined streets, 
homes and buildings, filmed from 
a helicopter to lend authentic i 
backgrounding to the saga of 
Norby. 

To judge “Norby” strictly on the 
basis of Chapter 1 the viewer 
might have some apprehensions 
over an insufficient quota of 
laughs or humorous situations or 
a more meaty subject matter. 
These, of course, can come later, 
once the series gets on a firm 
footing. But of more lasting and 
enduring value is the fact that 
some want), human and totally 
believable characterizations are al- 
ready beginning to evolve. And 
Wayne seems right as the pivotal 
character. So do his bank associ- 
ates, particularly Ralph Dunn as 
the veepee in charge of penny 
pinching. It’s strictly 1 a case of 
crossing one’s fingers and seeing 
where the writers go from here, j 

Colorwise, “Norby” adds up to , 
a 30-minute commercial for East- j 
man chromatics. And the “hard 
sell” makes EK cameras and film 
attractive merchandising. Rose. 


BOB CUMMINGS SHOW 

With Rosemary DeCamp. Dwayne 

Hickman, Anne B. Davis, Diane 

Jergens. others 

Production Supervisor: George 

Burns 

Producer-Writer: Paul Henning 
30 Mins., Sun., 10:30 p.m. 

R. J. REYNOLDS 
NBC-TV, from H’wood (film) 

(Win. Estyi 

For the purposes of his new r vid- 
pix series, Robert Cummings has 
become Bob Cummings. Scriptwise : 
he is Bob Collins, a commercial 
photographer and. more important- 
ly. a bachelor. Models swoon at j 
the sight of him or his lens. His j 
studio aide. Anne B. Davis, goes by 
the improbab'e name of Charmaine 
Schultz — “Schultzie” for short, j 
She is the swooner-in-chief. In 
the opening installment of Cum- 
mings' followup to his “My Hero" ! 
skein for Philip Morris (current 
package has him plugging another 
ciggie, Winstons, out of the R. J. 
Reynolds factory) Schultzie is dis- 
covered bedecked as a gorilla, a 
guise employed to milk laughs via 
entry upon the studio scene of an 
unstylish stout widow with, natur- i 
ally, a come-hither look. Cum- ' 
mings has a widowed sister, Rose- 
mary DeCamp, whom he’d like to 
marry off. She has an altitudin- 
ous young son, Dwayne Hickman, 
who is caused to be rigged out as , 
a younger edition so as not to ap- j 
pear too old an offspring to an old 
flame who comes visiting. Miss De- 
Camp believing him to be still ' 
traveling single, although it turns i 
out he’s married. In between 
there is some business about Cum- , 
mings lensing his sister a la bath- 
ing beaut, to lure the old pash via 
the direct-by-mail route. 

Cummings’ new show has George 
Burns as production supervisor in 
behalf of McCadden Productions, 
which fronts the Burns & Allen 
stanza. There’s good action, serv- 
iceable sets, and Cummings is a 
hep farceur, along with an okay 
company. But judgment on the ini- 
tialer is that it's just another sit- 


YELLOW JACK 
(Producers Showcase) 

With Dennis O’Keefe, Raymond 
Massey, Dane Clark, Lome 
Greene, Wally Cox, E. G. Mar- 
shall, Eva Marie Saint, Jackie 
Cooper, Rod Steiger, Carlos 
Montalban, William Redfield, 
Fred Stewart, Frederic Tozere, 
Philip Abbott, Peter Donat, Neil 
Mackenzie 

Producer: Fred Coe (in association 
with Playwrights Co.) 

Director: Delbert Mann 
Adapted from Sidney Howard play 
by J. P. Miller 
90 Mins.: Mon., 8 p.m. 

RCA. FORD 

NBC-TV, from New York (color) 

(Kenyon & Eckhardt > 
Approximately a score of years 
have elapsed since the late Sidney 
Howard, in collaboration with Paul 
de Kruif. brought to Broadway, 
under Guthrie McClintic’s pro- 
duction aegis, his dramatization of 
a chapter from de Kruif’s “Microbe 
Hunters” under the title of “Yel- 
low Jack.” detailing the exciting 
research by Dr. Walter Reed to dis- 
cover the cause of the deadly 
yellow fever. As a Broadway b.o. 
attraction it was only moderately 
received and eventually settled for 
recognition as a “prestige” play. 
In the intervening years it has 
grown in stature, undergoing a 
variety of transformations as stage, 
film, radio and tv fare. 

Thus it isn’t surprising that it 
should show up this week on NBC- 
TV’s 90-minute “Producers Show- 
case” as a spec, with a production 
assist from the Playwrights Co. 
(although the latter organization, 
with whom Howard was to become 
prominently identified, had yet to 
be born at the time of “Yellow 
Jack’s” original staging.) 

What emerged on Monday night 
GO' in the expertly wrought 
adaptation by J. P. Miller (known 
to the Sunday night “TV Play- 
house” audiences) was an exciting 
drama of tension and suspense 
which, while taking dramatic li- 
cense w'ith science, nonetheless 
served it with fidelity and dedica- 
tion. In all its reincarnations, it 
isn’t likely that “Yellow Jack" has 
ever been treated to such a fin- 
ished and painstaking production. 
As drama it still has stature and 
is capable of holding the viewer 
to the end for the thrilling tale of 
the search (circa 1900) for the 
cause of the dread epidemic is 
heightened by all the necessary 
components of good theatre. 

Fred Coe’s excellent production 
was blessed by a cast that was uni- 
formly topflight — from the highly 
emotional role of Dane Clark as 
Jesse Lazear, one of the dedicated 
scientists wiped out by the Steg- 
omyia mosquito scourge, to the 
Irish humor of Jackie Cooper as 
a guinea pig O’Hara. 

' In truth it would be difficult to 
single out any one performer in 
what essentially can he charac- 
terized as a “dream cast.” That 
goes for Lome Greene (a last- 
minute substitute for Broderick 
Crawford) as Walter Reed; Dennis 
O’Keefe. Wally Cox, Carlos Mon- 
talban, Rod Steiger, William Red- 
field, Philip Abbott. E. G. Marshall, 
Raymond Massey, Eva Marie Saint 
• who rendered a minor but effec- 
tive contribution as Nurse Blake) 
and all the others assembled for/ 
this retelling of an historical event 
in medical research. 

Credit a major assist, too, to 
Otis Riggs for his reconstruction 
of the Cuban barracks within the 
confines of the NBC-TV Brooklyn 
color studio’s point of origination. 
His designing of an actual army 
battalion street, even to its 'tropi- 
cal foliage, exteriors and interiors 
and Reed’s laboratory building, the 
enlisted men’s quarters, the medi- 
cal contagion ward and pest house 
emerged as brilliant visual docu- 
mentation (perhaps a little prettied 
in its compatible tint conversion) 
but at no times detracting from 
the dramatic impact. 

“Yellow Jack” gained little from 
its colorcasting (although both the 
Ford and RCA commercials gained 
immeasurably). If anything. Sidney 
Howard’s drama of the pestilential 
mosquito demonstrated a black- 
and-white reality that only height- 
ened the conviction that tint, for 
all its advances, should be kept in 
its place. Rose. 


uation comedy with stock, tele- 
graphed incidents, and small titters 
instead of laughs. The material 
is undernourished and the staging 
of a familiar pattern. 

In addition to his acting role, 
Cummings delivered a couple of 
quickie blurbs for the ciggie out- 
fit paying the freight. Nearly 
everybody’s doing it. so he can’t 
be faulted on that. On the other 
hand, this is his second excursion 
in behalf of a weed. And since 
this is a different cig, endorsement 
by the star may be considered to 
bear less value. More important 
than an endorsement motivated by 
the dollar sign (as per the contract) 
is a good show. So far, not so 
good. Trail. 


36 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


IMPACT! 


— IS THE WORD 


. ... THE NATION'S TOP DISC JOCKEY SHOW 


. ... THE RECORD INDUSTRY'S NUMBER ONE PLUG 


. . . . TV'S MOST AMAZING RATING 


THIS IS THE STORY 

. I 


Two years ago, HOWARD MILLER created a format for the first true Disc-Jockey show on television. 
Predicated on the belief that music had the greatest entertainment appeal, the show was presented 
with a philosophy that good records require no visual gimmicks to make them attractive entertain- 
ment. These records, presented with the performing talent in an intelligent interview and discus- 
sion, combine in a show which captures the viewing of the Middle West. The result was the bTrth 
of a television Disc-Jockey show that has become a first in the industry and nation. 

The almost instantaneous success of a record presented on THE HOWARD MILLER SHOW has made it 
the record industry's number on£ plug. Without exception, the greatest names in the business have 

launched many of their top-sellers on THE HOWARD MILLER SHOW. 

* 

From this story of the nation's top Disc Jockey show has come television's most amazing rating; 
polls indicating listenership equal to, and frequently more than, all other stations combined. 

That is the story of THE HOWARD MILLER SHOW, heard and seen for two hours every Friday night 
on WBBM-TV, CBS in Chicago. 


THE HOWARD MILLER SHOW 

ON 

WBBM-TV 



11:00 PM 

11:15 PM 

11:30 PM 

11:45 PM 

12 M. 

12:15 AM 

12:30 AM 

12:45 AM 

WBBM-TV . 

....13.3 

12.7 

13.0 

11.7 

9.7 

7.7 

7.0 

6.0 

STATION X 

.... 5.3 

4.7 

3.7 

3.0 

3.3 

3.3 

3.0 

3.0 

STATION Y 

. . . .12.0 

10.7 

6.7 

3.3 

• • • 

• • • 

• • • 

• • • 

STATION Z 

.... 3.7 

4.0 

4.3 

4.0 

3.0 

3.0 

2.7 

2.7 


(Special Telepulse Rating for December 10, 1954 ) 


HOWARD MILLER ON 
RADIO-WIND, TOP 
RATED MORNING SHOW 
6:30 TO 8 A.M. 


HOWARD MILLER PRODUCTIONS 
540 North Michigan Ave. 
Chicago, Illinois 





>\ ednrsday, January 12, 195«> 


RADIO-TELE VISION 


37 


FCC Hearing On 
Lowell Thomas’ 
Ownership Status 

Washington. Jan. 11. 
Question of whether Lowell 
Thomas and associates should be 
permitted to own stations WROW 
and WROW-TV in Albany. N. Y., 
in view of his tieup with CBS will 
he the subject of a hearing before 
the FCC on Jan. 25. 

Agency set the hearing last week 
to determine whether Thomas’ 
identification with the stations vio- 
lates its policy regarding ownership 
of stations by network personnel. 
Commission will also inquire 
whether “any existing understand- 
ings conceVning the network affilia- 
tion of WROW-TV” are in violation 
of the Sherman antitrust act. 

Hearing was ordered as a result 
of a protest by ultra high station 
WIKI in Albany. 50% owned by 
the Stanley Warner theatre chain, 
charging “secret understandings” 
between Thomas and CBS contem- 
plating that the CBS network af- 
filiation now held by WTRI would 
be transferred by Feb. 1 to WROW- 
TV The protest alleged that an 
agreement was reached with CBS 
before Thomas, et al. bought the 
stations and before FCC approved 
the transfer last November. 

Protest also alleged that the “un- 
derstanding” is illegal, partly be- 
cause CBS is the “dominant” tv 
network and Thomas is “unique” in 
hi> field, and is equivalent to a “ty- 
ing agreement” in that it ties to- 
gether a network affiliation a tal- 
ent contract. 


WP1X Into Packaging 
Biz; Pitches Hy Gardner 
TV Stanza at Networks 

WPIX. the N. Y. Daily News- 
owned indie television station 

which has often tried tapping off- i 
beat sources of revenue, has most j 
recently entered the packaging ! 
biz. Station has teamed up with ! 
producer Lou Cowan and is now 
actively pitching the Hy Gardner 
stanza at the video networks. 
Though the angle is not believed 
| entirely new, it is unique: since a 
web contract would mean moving 
the show- to one of the N. Y. o&o’s. 
all WPIX actually wants is the 
ownership royalties. 

Fred Thrower, station topper, 
made the first move in turning 1 
packager by upping the Gardner 
(a syndicated columnist homebas- 
ing at the N. Y. Herald-Tribune' , 
once-aweek interview session from ! 
1 5-minutes to a half-hour two 
weeks ago. Last Sunday (9), Co- 
wan took over the production from | 
WPIX staffers, guesting Gabby 
Hayes, Herb Shriner. Ethel Waters, 1 
Peter Lorre and a brace of femmes 
from the Latin Quarter. 

W’PIX has set a starting price 
of about $13,500 per production 
should the show be picked up by , 
a video web. Decision was made to 1 
sell it webwise largely on the basis 
of Gardner’s ability to tap a large 
number of big name interviewees. 


HANNA SLATED FOR 
B’CAST PREXY ROLE 

Syracuse, Jan. 11. 

First meeting of the N. Y. State 
Assn, of Radio-TV Broadcasters is 
being held at Hotel Syracuse here 
tomorrow »Wed.) with the following 
anticipated as the initial set of of- 
ficers: Mike Hanna, Ithaca, prexy; 
William Doer, Buffalo, and Gordon 
Gray. N. Y„ veepecs, with Elliott 
Stewart as secretary and George 
Dunham as treasurer. 

Hamilton Shea, NBC v.p. in 
charge of WRCA and WRCA-TV, 
N. Y., Ls chairman of the organiz- 
ing committee, working with J. J. 
Bernard, general manager of WGR- 
TV, Buffalo. Committee named 
William Fay, of WHAM, Roches- 
ter, as chairman of the Syracuse 
meeting. New York is the 43d state 
which has set up a broadcasters 
group. , 

Members of the organizing com- 
mittee who met in New York City 
last w’eek included Samuel Cook 
Digges. WCBS-TV; Bernard. Shea, 
Doer, Gray; Frederick L. Keesse, 
WMBO. Auburn; Carl Ward. WCBS 
Radio, N. Y„ and E. R. Vadebon- 
coeur, WSYR, Syracuse. 


San Antonio — Borden's is spon- 
soring “Vignettes” starring Gordon 
McLendon, on KENS here on 
Thursdays and Fridays at 10:55 
a.m., 2:45 and 5:05 p m. Programs 
feature famous voices of years 
gone by. 


Harriman May Pump New Life 
Into N.Y. State Educ’l TV Quest 


Albany, Jan. 11. 

An indication that Gov. Averell 
Harriman may be contemplating a 
change in the State's attitude to- 
ward educational television was giv- 
en in a message to the Legislature 
last week. He stressed that "New 
York State cannot afford to lag 
behind in the development of tele- 
vision as a new and promising me- 
dium of education.” 

The new Chief Executive, after 
citing the fact that educational tv 
outlets “are now actually operating 
in a number of cities, including 
i Pittsburgh, Cincinnati. Houston. St. 
Louis and San Francisco, and will 
soon be on the air in Boston. Chi- 
cago and several additional commu- 
nities.” spoke of the “many unan- 
swered questions” about the man- 
ner in which the State "may most 
effectively promote educational 
television.” 

He listed among these “the com- 
parative potentialities of VHF aad 
UHF transmission, the number and 
location of stations, the most desir- 
able division of responsibility 
among the State and munipical and 
private agencies, how best to stip- 
ulate program development and 
distribution.” Such and other facets 
“should be examined before laying 


lout a specific program.” comment- 
ed Gov. Harriman. He added. “I 
shall give careful attention to these 
questions, and submit my recom- 
mendations in a special message.” 

Harriman’s predecessor. Thomas 
E. Dewey, strongly opposed direct 
State promotion of and direct par- 
ticipation in educational television. 
Frowning on the Board of Regents’ 
plan for the construction of a string 
of stations across the State, he ap- 
pointed a study committee, which 
reported adversely on the idea and 
suggested, instead. State encour- 
agement of privately-operated edu- 
cational television outlets. Demo- 
cratic leaders in the Legislature, 
however, sponsored conti arily-tar- 
geted bills as late as 1954. 


Heinz’s Double-Decker 

Although Heinz has bought the 
new “Captain Gallant” vidfilm se- 
ries for NBC-TV Sunday afternoon 
showcasing, it will not drop its 
“Studio 57” dramatic display on 
DuMont, as previously reported. 

In addition, to its DuMont ride, 

“Studio 57” is also spotted in other 
markets throughout the country. 



The protest further charged vio- 
lation of FCC rules on basis of a 
belief that CBS will give WROW- 
TV a two-year affiliation contract 
if the latter obtains a VHF instead 
of it« present UHF channel. This 
would he accomplished, said WTRI. 
bv a plan to assign channel 10 to 
Vail Mills. N. Y. 

In its reply to the protest, 
Thomas and his associates, includ- 
ing Frank Smith, his business man- 
ager. denied “categorically” that 
any affiliation agreement with CBS 
existed when they filed to pur- 
chase the stations “and no such 
agreement exists today.” 


Chi TV Scores a Major 
Feat as 2 Dept. Stores 
Siphon Coin Into WBBM 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

More than a little competitive 
interest has been stirred up here 
by WBBM-TV’s recent acquisition 
of a couple of accounts from Chi's 
State St. retailing Main Stem. Tra- 
ditional coolness toward tv by .lie 
major merchants has been the 
source of some frustration, with 
the result that the sales by the 
CBS-TV station are being viewed 
with more than passing import. 
It V generally recognized that local 
video has yet to convince the bifL 
time department stores here that 
i- can do a selling job for them, 
thu- bypassing an extensive pool 
of ad coin. 

That's why WBBM-TV’s sale of a 
Monday night half-hour to Carson 
Fine Scott lor berthing of a “Ford 
Theatre" rerun series ranks as an 
accomplishment in local circles. 
T.ie ( ar*on buy comes on the heels 
0! a special two-week Xmas 
sp.jvi, i. n the same station bv Mar- 
shall Field & Co., the State St. 

■ v-e her. Fields and practically 
the entire WBBM-TV talent stable 
combined forces on the 10 half- 
oiii- displays built around the 
010 ' toyland. Store execs’ reac- 
mn to the two-weeker reportedly 
^' highly favorable with the pos- 
• m,,!' strong it’ll become anan- 
nual event. 


WSAZ-TV’s Sales Splash 

Huntington. W. Va„ Jan. 11 . 

’■ ^TV ushered in the new’ 
v,,h the biggest single sales 
' * i!1 the six-year-old history of ' 

Sm»r-o tlon ' si * nin 8 a total of! 
~ in new’ business in the 
'even days of January. Aecord- 
t" v.p.- general manager L. H. 
Rogers, the total includes t 
a .i‘, ' -’ned contracts, with several 
fa! ,° nal accounts in the works 

F ess is all local and regional, 1 
' ■ i through the station’s Hunt- I 
'•'id Charleston sales offices. • 


v 



Cray lines show the 50,000 channel miles of the television network which can carry color proiramt 


Color Television Network 
now reaches 109 cities 


1 954 was a big and busy year for color. Since 
the FCC approved the compatible system in 
December 1953, 50,000 channel miles of the 
Bell System television network have been spe- 
cially adapted to carry color programs to 150 
stations in 109 cities. 

In addition to the big job of color conver- 
sion, the Bell System has also added 18,000 
’kernel miles to the nationwide TV network. 


Conversion of the television network to 
transmit color is an exacting and expensive job. 
New equipment must be added and hundreds 
of technicians must be trained in the complex 
color techniques in .order to maintain and 
adjust this equipment to exact standards. 

Plans for 1955 call for continued expansion 
of the television network — to keep pace with 
the industry's expanding needs. 


BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM 



% 


PROVIDING TRANSMISSION CHANNELS FOR INTERCITY TELEVISION TODAY AND TOMORROW 




88 


P'finlETr 


Wednesday, January 12, 19.>5 


L. 



Only MCA-TV 


THOMAS MITCHELL 


* Effective immediately, all United Television Programs, Inc 
personnel and film properties become a part of the 

MCA-TV Syndicated Film Division. This makes available 
to TV sponsorship throughout the world the largest, most 

complete selection of quality TV film programs anywhere. 

Now the MCA-TV staff consists of 68 salesmen who offer 

you 22 separate filmed TV programs for local or regional sponsorship 


Thomas Mitchell stars in 39 exciting topical 
dramas. Consistently a top-rated radio and TV 
show for years. Sold in over 60 markets. 


LOUIS HAYWARD 


Now, whether you want comedy, drama, music or mystery, 

you’re sure to find the perfect show to fit your needs 
among MCA-TV’s 22 top-rated film shows. 


Louis Hayward stars as the world’s most famous 
adventurer, fighting evil and intrigue every- 
where... an electrifying series of 39 films. 




ROD CAMERON 


65 half-hour mystery and adventure films, star 
ring Rod Cameron. In its third year of success 
ful selling for sponsors. 


show 

for 

every product 
every market, 
every budget! 


CHARLES BICKFORD 


i irm 

13 encore dramas with such famous Hollywood 
stars as Lew Ayres, Joan Bennett, Miriam Hop- 
kins. Available under your own title. 


Charles Bickford hosts and narrates 39 half- 
hour thrilling, true-life dramas of law enforce- 
ment presented in documentary style. 


FILM PROGRAMS 


AMERICA’S NO. 1 DISTRIBUTOR OF 


TV e«liiee<1ay, January 12, 1955 


J^rIEYy 



Mil 


has so many proven, top-rated, quality TV film shows! 


JOHN RUSSELL 
CHICK CHANDLER 


PRESTON 


FOSTER 


26 exciting, new adventure-packed films. With 
an all star Hollywood cast. Already sold in 100 
markets to 7-Up Bottling. 


39 half-hour films, featuring America’s No. 1 
musical favorite and a famous female guest 
itar vocalist each week. 


Sell your product through these outstanding 
family situation adventures with a salty tang, 
starring Preston Foster. 65 films available. 


Over 200 films in this high-rated anthology of 
comedy, mystery, adventure and drama, featur- 
ing famous Hollywood stars. 




ROCKY JONES 


Inimitable Paul Hartman stars in this hilarious 
situation comedy ... 40 fun-filled films now 
available in many leading markets. 


(Also known as “City Assignment”). Pat McVey 
and Jane Nye, as crusading newspaper reporters, 
bring you drama and suspense. 91 films. 


America's funniest comedy team stars in 52 
hilarious films, in the style that has kept them 
on top for 15 laugh-filled years. 


39 films that hold adult and juvenile audi- 
ences spellbound. Backed by merchandising 
guaranteed to give your product top recognition. 


Fresh, crisp film highlights of the previous 
week's top sports events, air expressed to you 
every Monday. 


George Raft plays the role of a metropolitan 
police officer in 26 hard-hitting films of drama 
and mystery. Top ratings in leading markets. 


Great heroes, war personalities, famous events, 
daring exploits, presented in documentary style 
with Ken Murray as host. 26 films available. 


78 dramas to build prestige for your commer- 
cial. Sponsored as Fireside Theatre by Proctor 
& Gamble. One of the highest rated film shows. 


13 half-hour films covering top college games 
during football season. 


ALAN HALE, JR 
RANDY STUART 


MELVYN DOUGLAS 


78 neatly produced 15-minute dramas, each 
with a surprise twist ending. Available first 
run in over 100 markets. 


Melvyn Douglas stars as a private sleuth in 13 
exciting and unusual dramas mixing love and 
adventure. With an all star Hollywood cast. 


Ralph Bellamy stars in 82 exciting films made 
expressly for TV . . . realistic, action packed 
adventures that every family will enjoy. 


Alan Hale, Jr. and Randy Stuart star in 26 half- 
Mur films of international mystery and intrigue. 
4 surefire combination appealing to all viewers. 


SAN FRANCISCO: 105 Mont- 
gomery St., EXbrook 2-8922 

SEATTLE: 203 White Building, 
Mutual 4567 

SALT LAKE CITY: 212 Beason 
Bldg., 3-4657 

MINNEAPOLIS: 1048 Northwest 
ern Bank Bldg., Lincoln 7863 

PITTSBURGH: 550 Grant St., 
Suite 146, GRant 1-9995 

PHILADELPHIA: Bellevue-Strat- 
ford Hotel, Broad & Walnut 
Sts., PEnnypacker 5-9462 

ST. LOUIS: 1700 Liggett Drive, 
WOodland 2-3683 


CHICAGO: 430 North Michigan 
Ave., DElaware 7-1100 

CLEVELAND: 1172 Union Com- 
merce Bldg., CHerry 1-6010 

ROANOKE: 116A West Kirk Ave 

ROanoke 3-4344 

• 

NEW ORLEANS: 42 Allard Btvd., 
GAIvez 4410 

CINCINNATI: 3790 Gardner Ave 

SYcamore 9149 

# ' 

DALLAS: 2102 No. Akard St., 
PRospect 7536 

DETROIT: 837 Book Tower, 
WOodward 2-2604 


CONTACT YOUR NEAREST MCA-TV 

Off ICE FOR AUDITION PRINTS TODAYI 

NEW YORK: 598 Madison Ave., 
PLaza 9-7500 

BEVERLY HILLS: 9370 Santa 
Monica Blvd., CRestview 
6-2001 or BRadshaw 2-3211 

ATLANTA: 515 Glenn Bldg., 
Lamar 6750 

BOSTON: 45 Newbury St., 
COpley 7-5830 

KANSAS: 6014 W. 76 Terrace, 
Overland Park, Niagara 2064 


k MCA-TV CANADA: MCA-TV FRANCE: MCA-TV ENGLAND: 

1 1 1 Richmond St., West, 49 bis Ave., Hoche, 139 Piccadily 

Suite 1209, EMpire 3-5025 Paris London 

Toronto. Ontario 







40 


ADIO-TELE VISION 


^Vdneftday, January 12, 1955 



contposer’s work. For her third 
piece. Miss Hinderas offered a 
touching interpreation of D. Scar- 
latti's “Sonata” which was fol- 
lowed by a warm and captivat- 
ing presentation of “Dance of 
the Gnomes” by Liszt. Her two 
concluding numbers “Fireworks” 
by Debussy and “Waltz in C Sharp 
Minor” by Chopin both demon- 
strated comprehensive understand- 
ing of depth and feeling. Mark. 


Continued from page 34 


enough for the average citizen 
much less the multiple mysteries 
of this one plus the fact that the 
system of scoring and the entire 
idea of switching from music to 
pictures is confusing. In addition. 
Miss Lando herself could improve 
as a moderator by restraining her 
tendencies to gush and by setting 
up some sort of pattern for inter- 
viewing Nfcr panelists which would 
allow her to get across to the tv 
audience clearly who and what 
they are. Rafe. 


bv presenting a 90-minute musical 
comedy version of “Sunshine 
Town.” with Mayor Moore doing 
a one-man job on the book, music 
and lyrics. 'Moore recently vol- 
untarily resigned the post of drama 
director of the CBC to devote all 
his time to the legitimate thea- 
tre’. By arrangement with the 
estate. Moore has based his musi- 
cal show on the late Stephen Lea- 
cock's “Sunshine Sketches of a 
Little Town.” a nostalgic collection 
ot character vignettes and situa- 
tions at the turn of the century. 

On the memory appeal. Moore 
has made full use of such episodes 
as a small town election, the burn- 
ing down of the local church, the 
running of an excursion steamer 
on a sandspit. plus a bank holdup 
which brings the young lovers to- 
gether. Adding to the Gay 90s 
settings and costuming are such 
smalltown stock characters as the 
county judge, the hotel proprietoii 
newspaper editor, rival federal 
politicians, the town banker, bar- 
ber. undertaker, etc. Play has 
plenty of plot but it’s the situation 
ballads and sprightly choral en- 
sembles that have the greatest 
viewer-listener impact. 

Notable are “I Want a Hero 
Bold” and “As Long as You Love 
Me.” sung by the heroine (Jean 
Ramsay); “The Next Time" a com- 
edy love lament by the heroine and 
her girl friend 'Libby Morris'; 

‘Just the Same.” by the young 
lovers 'Jean Ramsay and Joseph 
Runner'; a male patter song. “An 
Open Mind.” with Paul Kligman; 
and some rousing chorus numbers, 
together with adroit choreography. 

Technically, there were some flaws 
on camera and quick costume 
changes, together with some drag- 
gy direction in certain spots; but. 
on the whole, these could not de- 
feat Moore’s clever hook; and his 
song values came across for an aus- 
picious start of the new “Scope” 
series. McStay. Assistant Directors: Ron Bacon, 

Arnold Brown 

RING A BELL 30 Mins.: Wed. 7 p.m. 

With Lucille Lando, Art Norkus Cleveland 

Trio, others Concert pianist Natalie Hind- 

T)ir»r«nr- lim Faltinc eras returned to her hometown au- 

30 Mins'; Fri. J pm dience in a 30-minute presentation 

WHITE ROCK BOTTLING CO. that again showed her outstanding 

KPLX, San Francisco 1 ab,llt >' on the 88. 

This is the quiz show to end all As against a straight half-hour 
quiz shows. In the course of 30 at the piano, producer-writer Joe 
minutes, a panel of guests plays a Tanski concocted a “Babes-in- 
musical quiz game and also guesses , Toyland" theme in which Miss 
famous people from partial photo- Hinderas became the beautiful 
graphs. In addition, the viewers doll that played the piano for her 
get in the act with a third quiz that fellow toys. The idea had merit, 
runs from week to week and fea- ; but unfortunately, except for the 
tu res a mystery’ personality. j marching cards sequehce, props 

With so much mystery about, the were insufficient, amateurish, and 
viewer can’t be blamed for being tended to deflate entire stanza, 
a bit confused. Lucille Lando. a Considering the obstacles, produc- 
rather photogenic brunet, is a tion-wise two-camera crew, under 
chatty emcee and handles the gab- Paul Kirrkamm executed shots 
bing on the show o k. but falls into without error, while lighting was 
oral traps such as compulsion to excellent. Gordon Ward, as nar- 
keep asking “Isn’t it fun?” She rator. was professional, but role 
delivers a solid commercial pitch called for softer voice, 
for the show’s sponsor, however. 1 Miss Hinderas’ playing, however, 
and sells the product like a vet- sparkled. Her first two numbers, 
eran. Maurice Revel’s “Jeux Deau” and 

Show would gain a lot from "Alborada Del Graeioso.” reflected 
streamlining. One quiz is hard a simulating understanding of the 


TASTE TIME 

With Marion Roberts 

30 Mins., Mon.-thru-FrL, 2 p.m. 

Participating 

WRGB-TV, Schenectady 

Conducted by Marion Roberts, 
veteran of theatre cooking schools 
and television stations (with a 
Buffalo outlet before joining 
WRGB*, program encompasses a 
wide variety of dishes and meals. 
Yidcasts are in a modern, taste- 
fully decorated kitchen, equipped 
with many electric gadgets, and its 
appeal is presumably strongest for 
the home-type women viewers. 

Mrs. Roberts has a big backlog 
of recipes, some of them in the 
family from earlier Virginia days. 
She has a carryover on certain 
orginations, as when baking bread, 
cookies and the like. A tele- 
prompting device lists ingredients 
and instructions, which an an- 
nouncer repeats — to background 
music. Jaco. 


_____ Continued from pace 25 

which is affiliated with the net- 
work. but the newspaper isn’t 

selling '. 

Thus far CBS has invaded Mil- 
waukee with a U. It hasn’t indi- 
cated where it will go for its sec- 
ond. but St. Louis has been prom- 
inently mentioned. (Columbia is 
competing for a V there, but 


ONCE UPON A TIME 

With Natalie Hinderas, pianist: 

Gordon Ward, narrator 
Producer- Writer: Joseph Tanski 


$1,103,000 Deal 

Hartford. Jan. 11. 

With the sale of W’KNB-TV 'next- 
door New Britain' to NBC. the 
television programming picture of 
the majority of Conn, tv stations 
and some Mass, tv outlets has be- 
come very muddled. Several af- 
filiation changes will no doubt be 
made in the weeks to come with 
a few to be left out on the limb 
for network shows. Repercussions 
are also expected to be felt in Ver- 
mont and New Hampshire. 

NBC, which picked up the New 
Britain UHF’r and its mother sta- 
tion. WKNB. paid $607,000 for the 
capital stock of the New Britain 
Broadcasting Co., owner of both 
stations. At the same time NBC 
assumed liabilities of the New 
Britain concern to the tune of some 
$496,000. Thus the total transac- 
tion involves about $1,103,000. 

NBC. it is understood, will throw 
out all programming of the New 
Britain station and will 100 r r favor 
its own shows. Up until FCC ap- 
proval of the sale, the station will 
continue to carry CBS. WKNB- 
TV contract with CBS is under- 
stood to be good for another two 
years. 

Sale of the station is expected 
to not only start a nationwide trend 
on tv programming but also put 
several of the New England tv out- 
lets on a limb for programming. 
Expected to do away with the so- 
called independent programming 
where a station would schedule 
shows from three and four nets. 
For example: WNHC-TV. an NBC 
primary, has been carrying some 
CBS. ABC and DuMont. 

Trade talk has it that CBS is 
interested -in VHF channel 3 in 
Hartford when the FCC reaches a 
decision on that outlet. A 1,000.- 
000-watt UHF'r and a top powered 
VHF’r — according to engineers — 
will have about the same coverage. 
Therefore two stations here, NBC. 
and CBS, will give almost parallel 
coverage and will exclude the need 
for bringing their programs over 
overlapping stations. 

With CBS programming skedded 
in future to Hartford and NBC be- 
ing ethered by WKNB-TV. there 
remains only ABC and DuMont 
programs. WGTH-TV. Hartford, 
carries^ latter. It is not expected 
to either lose or drop those af- 
filiations and leave the way open 
for WNHC-TV to grab same. 

Station is owned jointly by Gen- 
eral Teleradio and Hartford Times, 
w it It former being the heaviest 
voice in its operations. General 
Teleradio is expected to prevail on 
both ABC and DuMont to stay with 
the Hartford outlet because of 
strong Gen Teleradio connections 
and pressure and utilizations of 
those nets elsewhere. 

This leaves WNHC-TV with a 
programming problem. For the 




STEINMAN STATION 

CLAIR McCOHOUGH PRES. 


LANCASTER, PA 


time it will probably be able to use 
CBS. bnce that service is dropped 
by WKNB-TV. But when a Hart- 
ford channel 3 decision is reached 
and finalized, the New Haven 
etherer will be in trouble. Same 
situation is true of several other 
tv stations that dot New England 
northward. If the one net trend 
steamrolls, they will be in real 
trouble as there will be more sta- 
tions than nets available. 



Dallas 


Continued from pace 2( 

best newsfilm in the world never 
can offer. 

What types of programs other 
than news and sports could affili- 
ates cover? There are an un- 
limited number of “special events" 
which would interest audiences 
everywhere. Fortunately, the in- 
creasing use of a magazine-type 
format, as typified by NBC-TV’s 
“Today” and “Tonight.” makes it 
possible to include these without 
disrupting either network or local 
program schedules. 

Beauty contests, civic celebra- 
tions, and the like are certainly 
not news, but occasionally offer 
topnotch entertainment. For ex- 
ample. a benefit staged recently 
by a Dallas Lions Club featured 
George Gobel and Freddie Mar- 
tin's orchestra. The grand opening 
of our new Republic National Bank 
Building headlined Bob Hope. 
Gordon MacRae, Mimi benzell and 
Ted Weems' orchestra. Such names 
are indubitably worthy of network 
time. 

Some of these one-shot features 
could be built into a series lasting 
for an entire season. Why not pro- 
gram a “State Fair, U.S.A.” series, 
picking a representative segment 
from a different State Fair each 
week? If you think fairs include 
only hogs and poultry, you haven’t 
attended one lately. Such pro- 
grams would have far more enter- 
tainment value than some tired 
panel shows so often selected for 


PhiBys 1-Team 
Ballcast Revamp 

Philadelphia, Jan. 11. 

Departure of the Athletics 
I (Philadelphia’s American League 
baseball club) for Kansas City has 
brought the end of Philly as a 
two-team city and an accompany- 
ing sharp revision of its big-league 
broadcasting and telecasting set- 
i up. 

Only two tv stations (WPTZ and 
WFIL-TV' will carry the telecasts, 
which will be limited to weekends 
and holidays. Both home and away 
games of the Phillies, the National 
i League's local entry, w ill be avail- 
able for local viewers. 

Biggest surprise was the can- 
cellation of the broadcasts at 
WIBG. 10.000-watter which has 
been carrying the ball games since 
1940 and had built itself a reputa- 
tion as the “baseball station.” 

The broadcasts will now' be 
handled exclusively by WIP, which 
entered the local baseball picture 
last season. As the Mutual outlet, 
however. WIP has long aired the 
World Series games. 

Gene Kelly, broadcaster and 
publicity director for the Phillies, 
and Byron Saam, veteran Philadel- 
phia sports announcer will share 
the microphone duties. 

Of the sponsors that paid the 
bill for both clubs last year, only 
one remains. Atlantic Refining Co. 
Adam Scheidt Brewing (Valley 
Forge Beer' and Chesterfield have 
dropped out. Ayers Agency has re- 
placed Scheidt account with an- 
other beer sponsor, Ballantine’s; 
but is still looking for a client to 
take on the third segment. 



summer replacements. 

The “one-shots” could also be 
used to fill the gaps in network 
schedules. Huge Saturday, after- 
noon audiences watch football, 
basketbalF and baseball in season. 
But the sports-minded viewer 4 is 
driven away during the off-season 
Saturdays by ancient films. It 
would be much wiser to keep this 
vast audience intact by presenting 
pickups of lesser known sports 
such as rodeos, jalopy races and 
the others that are always avail- 
able somewhere in the nation. 

Margo Jones an Example 

Generally speaking, the large 
scale dramatic and variety produc- 
tions should continue to originate 
from the country’s larger produc- 
tion centers, where personnel and 
technical facilities are available. 
But there are some outstanding 
examples of theatrical art which 
will be missed if this policy is 
followed exclusively. Margo Jones’ 
“Theatre 55” now in its 10th suc- 
cessful year in Dallas, would have 
high appeal as a regular network 
feature. The intimate theatre-in- 
the-round could be more easily 
adapted to tv’s needs than most 
stage productions — and it^ practice 
of presenting only classics or origi- 
nal scripts results in quality en- 
tertainment seldom undertaken at 
the network level. 

The one time only network feeds 
do not present much of a person- 
nel problem for the originating 
station. Usually a few’ hours of 
overtime cover the situation. Reg- 
ular once a week (or oftener) tele- 
casts would require more people, 
which means an added financial 
burden. Commercial sponsorship 
or aid from the network would be 
a necessity. 

Audience reaction in the area of 
the origination for any given show 
would undoubtedly be favorable. 
And anything that improves the 
quality of Television in general 
will help ratings throughout the 
country’. 

We have no desire to stir up the 
old controversy about Madison 
Avenue controlling the nation's 
broadcast entertainment. How- 
ever. any observer can see that the 
networks have not solved the prob- 
lem of filling all hours with ex- 
ceptional shows. Perhaps the an- 
swer to the riddle of supplying the 
kind of programs the people want 
can be found by examining the 
kind of entertainment they prefer 
on the local level. These features 
are waiting to be televised — so 
why doesn’t someone take the ob- 
vious step? 

Ralph W. Nirnmons, 

Manager, WFAA-TV, Dallas. 


W’ith Robert D. Holbrook upped 
tp board chairman. Barton A. Cum- 
mings has been elected prexy of 
the Compton ad agency. A number 
of other changes w’ere made. John 
K. Strubing Jr. is the new vice 
chairman, with Alfred J. Seaman, 
creative director, moving to Stru- 
bing’s exec v.p. post. C. James 
Fleming Jr., v.p. and board mem- 
ber, is now' senior v.p. New board 
members are Henry R. Bankart, 
Willard Heggen and Olin A. Saun- 
ders, all veeps. 

Holbrook became Compton’s 
prexy in 1946, having joined the 
Blackman Co., agency’s predeces- 
sor. in 1933. Cummings started 
with Compton in 1947 after serv- 
ing with Maxon and -Benton & 
Bowles. 


Latest Coral Release 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DARLING 

B/w 

WITHOUT LOVE 

Dir.: William Morris Agency 


BROOKS 

COSTUMES 


APARTMENTS AVAILABLE 


RIVERSIDE DRIVE. 44 at 7*th street, 
New York. Beautiful 1’*— 1’3 room 
apartments, unfurnished. Ideal loto- 
ation. $90 up Inquire Supt. 1A. 


0 






.vXvX;!jlv 






' - 3r 


iiw#i 


wmmm 


mm 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Sourca: ARB, Novamber ’54, 7 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday 



42 


IIADIO-TELEYISIOX 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


From The Production Centers 

Continued from pace 30 — 


only the 7:45 a.m. 10-minuter with Bill Tompkins as writer-newscaster. 
Tompkins also did WXEL 11 p.m. stint while Warren Guthrie was on 
week's vacation . . . NBC News Director Ed Wallace readying halt-hour 
traffic series for WNBK <15* . . . WXEL’s Boyd Heath emcees “Mid 
States Sports Vacation” show at Arena . . . At Henderson, cx-WTAM, 

now doing WGAR five-minute chitchat Monday-thru-Friday at 610 . . . 
WJW's Tod Purse getting more disk time ... Ed Kil’een Jeavcs YVTAM- 
WNBK newsroom for government information post in Marseilles. 


Ii\ CINCINNATI . . . 

Record Christmas fund contributions by Ruth Lyons WLW-TY “50-50 
Club" fans for hospitalized children in three states totaled S99.377.23 
. . . WKRC stations in coopmUon with publ'c schoo's • 'd P.T.A. 
groups bagged 15,000 toys and $10,000 for 2.000 needy children from 
Yuletide through new year . . . National Foundation for Infantile 
Paralysis will get all proceeds from annual Golden Gloves show Feb. 3 
in Cincy Garden. It’s sponsored* by WLW-T and the Golden Gloves 
Club of Hamilton County . . . Greater Cincinnati Telev sion Educa- 
tional Foundation has elected Robert E. Dunville, Crosley Broadcasting 
Corp. president, to its board of trustees for two years . . . Ray Shannon 
(not the entertainer*, engineer with WKRC stations since 1942, was 
promoted to transmitter supervisor of the tv operation. 

IN W ASHINGTON . . . 

Sig Mickelson, CBS v.p. in charge of news and public affairs, will 
be guest of honor at a reception hosted by web's D C. v.p. Karl Gam- 
mons next Monday <17* . . . D.j. Les Sand back at WWDC-MBS after 
a five-year hiatus, with a “One to Six” morning platter spinning show 
. . . Edward P. Morgan, ABC newscaster, honored at a cocktail party 
tossed by web newsmen Bryson Rash and Richard Itendell on eve of 
Morgan’s debut on the AFL news show . . . Esther Van Wagoner Tufty, 
NBC news correspondent, back in the capital after a trip to the 
Netherlands where she filmed sequences for her weekly ' Home Show” 
Washington report . . . New staffers at WWDC include Dick awrence, 
replacing Jacque Wells on announcing staff, and Norman Baum, re- 
cently returned from a stint with the Army, as assistant program 
director. 

IN DETROIT ... 

A radio saturation plan called “Music Over the Week End” is in 
effect at WWJ. By drastically reprogramming Saturday and Sunday 
skeds. advertisers can purchase announcements in packages of 10 or 
20 with the station's lop disk jockeys. Bob Maxwell, Shelby New house, 
Ross Mulholland. Steve Lawrence and Art I.azarow . . . “Press Con- 
ference," a WXYZ-TV and Detroit Free Press public service feature 
with the newspaper reporters quizzing local news personalities, has 
returned after a hiatus caused by time conflict with NCAA football 
games . . . WJBK-TV is the first station in Michigan to use tv wire 
photo news service with installation of International News Seivice 
Facsimile . . . WJR, which thought it had quelled opposition by taking 
its propped Flint tv station out of the Detroit coverage area, finds 
itself in new hot water with Trebit Corp. and W. S. Butterfield The- 
atres. two unsuccessful bidders for the Flint channel, now complaining 
to FCC substantial revision in WJR's plans and stock ownership is 
cause for cancellation of its license. 


IV DALLAS . . . 

Charlie Boland, KGKO deejay. added a daily KRLD-TV sports spiel 
. . . Janet Waldo, of ABC-TV’s “Ozzie Nelson Show.” here for preem 
of husband Robert E. (Lawrence and* Lee’s new drama, “Inherit the 
Wind,” at Theatre '55 . . . Don Cherry guested with Kenny Sargent, 
KLIF d.j., plugging his new Columbia wax pact . . . Harry Belafonte 
did a sock q.&a. sesh with emcee Jerry Haynes via WFAA-TV . . . 
Jerome (Dizzy) Dean, local resident, again inked for baseball’s “Game 
of the Week” on tv for 1955. Dean starts the season here April 2, 
calling the N. Y. Giants-Cleveland Indians exhib game . . . John Allen, 
WFAA announcer, doing “Tello-Test," cross-the-board phone quizzer 
. . . Mike Shapiro named new commercial manager of WFAA-TV . . . 
KLIF added deejay Larry Monroe; spinner Don Keyes returned after 
a short stint at KGKO, and jockey Les Vaughan took over the short- 
wave mobile news unit chore. Station also has added Jimmy Fidler's 
wax Hollywood chatter each Sunday. 

IN MINNEAPOLIS . . . 

Allen C. Embury, Urbana, III., appointed v.p, and general manager 
of VVMNS. formerly WMIN radio, now under the new' ownership of 
the William F. Johns family, which also owns radio stations at Sioux 






WSAZ-TV 

„MANNFL 1 BAStr NBC NET.VRK 

100 000 A/ATT} erp 


4ARLE S T . 


F 


1 

L 

>: wgkv, bi 

charleston a va 

K » ABC 

INGT 0 N 

J 


IN AMERICA'S PROSPEROUS 


RIPKEN’!. 

The KATZ 

Agency 



1 

ft .% 


•! »s*.w.v.* 


v.v. • • •. . ; • ■ , 

ml 


Zm&m&i. :m. ■ xOCS V::' V: S . • .*•>• •.r.;VxS*N? 

INDUSTRIAL HEART 

••• ••• •*•'•• i vctv’.v. .■? x v*-:Y: 


City, la., Stillwater and Owatonna, Minn., and Stevens Point and 
Oshkosh, Wis. WMIN continues solely with its tv operation under 
original ownership . . . With its new call letters WMNS, the former 
WMIN radio station paying $5 each time a listener catches an an- 
nouncer or personality using the old call letters. The first listener 
j to telephone receives the money . . . Kendall Mills inked by WCCO 
radio for three-days-a-week sponsorship of Maynard Speece’s 5:25 a m. 

! daily five-minute “Farm Topics” program directed at the area’s 226,000 
ruralite early risers . . . John Carol, CBS radio network v.p. in charge 
of sales, spoke at 25th annual Salesmen’s Dinner, jointly sponsored 
here by Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and Minneapolis Sales 
Executives. Dinner was preceded by a Salesmen’s rally . . . N. L. 
Bentson and Fred Kaufman, WMIN-TV executives, to attend special 
State Cerebral Palsy luncheon to be given in New’ York to their 
station and WTCN-TV. which shares Channel 11, in recognition of 
the $140,000 recently raised for the palsy cause by the stations’ first 
telethon. 

IN PITTSBURGH . . . 

Bob Pritchard has resigned from WJAS sales staff to become sales 
manager for William D. Gregg Co., outboard motor concern here,. . . 
Dusty Brown is the new leader of the EZC Ranch Gals on WDTV 
with Wanda Saylor’s departure for St. Petersburg. Fla., to join her 
husband. Leo Heisel, an engineer there at WSUN-TV . . . Ford now 
sponsoring only three nights a week of Carl Ide’s cross-the-board 
newscasts on Channel 2. with Geritol picking up the other two . . . 
Henry DeBecco. WJAS announcer, making his Playhouse debut in 
“Girl on the Via Flamina” . . . Eddie Dillon resigned as deejay at 
WHJB in Greensburg and leaving for Los Angeles . . . Mrs. Margaret 
Beck, head of speech and English departments at Indiana State Teach- 
ers College, will be hostess and coordinator of “Family Dynamics.” 
first course being offered by educational station WQ£D for college 
credit . . . Art Pallan, WWSW platter-spinner, has been made perma- 
nent m.c. of weekly “Lullaby in Rhythm” hklf-hour on WDTV. Pre- 
viously he had been rotating in that spot with Barry Kaye, of WJAS, 
and Jay Michael, of WCAE . . . Berkley Smith started his 21st year 
of newscasting for Kaufmann's department store . . . Bette Smiley 
has launched a new quarter-hour of songs on WCAE every Sunday 
afternoon at 1:45. It’s sponsored. 


NARTB Beer & Wine Study 

Continued from page 27 


portrayals of product consumption, 
have all but disappeared from 
1 your tv screens.” 

Fellows interpreted NARTB’s re- 
j cent survey on the extent of beer 
| and w ine advertising on radio and 
tv as showing that it is not ex- 
cessive. Only 3% of the number 
of programs on tv and 1.6% of 
number on radio, he said, were 
shown to have been sponsored by 
beer and wine interests. 

Fellows suggested that advertis- 
ers who encounter objections to 
their commercials might do well 
to accept counsel of the broad- 
caster, who should know the cus- 
toms of his community. “The pur- 
pose of your advertising is to sell.” 
he said, “and to offend is not to 
sell.” 


i gramming, the survey disclosed 
that of a total of 580,000 programs 
carried in a composite week last 
year by all radio stations, 37% 
were classified as music, 33% as 
news, 9% as drama, 7 % as vari- 
ety, 3% as sporting events, and 
2% as quizz. 

In releasing the survey, NARTB 
prexy Harold E. Fellows took is- 
sue with the Committee's report. 
His denial, according to a state- 
ment by the Assn., was “based on 
specific evidence submitted to the 
Committee in reference to prob- 
lems of good taste In beer and 
wine advertising.” 


Philco 


$34,000,000 Revenue 


Continued from pace 31 


Beer and wine advertisers spent 
approximately $34,000,000 to spon- 
sor radio and tv programs during 
1954, the National Assn, of Radio 
and tv Broadcasters estimated last 
week. This amount, Assn, said, 
represented 2 . 7 % of all media ad- 
vertising expenditures. 

Estimate was submitted to the 
House Interstate Commerce Com- 
mittee in compliance with a re- 
quest for information on the ex- 
tent of radio and tv advertising by 
the beer and wine industries. The 
Committee called on NARTB last 
Augusf to supply the information 
for the new Congress in connec- 
tion with consideration of the 
Bryson bill to ban interstate ad- 
vertising of alcoholic beverages. 

In a comprehensive report, based 
on returns from 2,320 radio and tv 
stations (83% of stations on the 
air on Sept. 1, 1953), NARTB in- 
formed the Committee that: 

1. Approximately 3% of the 
number of all programs on tv 
during the 12-month period ending 
last Sept. 20 were sponsored by 
beer and wine companies. In ra- 
dio it was 1.6%. 

2. Beer and wine companies 
sponsored 20% of all sports pro- 
grams carried on tv during this 
period. It was 18% on radio. 

3. Programs sponsored by beer 
and wine advertisers occupied 
3.07% of all tv station time on the 
air during the 12 month period and 
2% of all radio station time. 

4. Beer and wine spot announce- 
ments comprised 3.53 % of all tv 
and 2.8% of all radio spot an- 
nouncements during the period. 

NARTB’s survey, while con- 
ducted in compliance with the 
Committee’s direction, as spelled 
out in its Aug. 17 report on the 
Bryson bill, yields information of 
a general as well as specific na- 
ture. It shows, for example, that 
In a composite week of the period 
covered the nation’s tv stations 
televised an aggregate of 37,471 
programs. 

Of this total, 28% were classi- 
fied as drama, 24% as variety, in- 
cluding comedy, 17% as news. 7% 
as music, 6%. as quiz, and 5% as 
sporting events. 

Reflecting the change which has 
i taken place since tv in radio pro- 


7,000,000 black and white tv sets, 
about 1.000,000 of which will come 
from Philco. He said that all the 
materials are at hand to make 1955 
a banner year for the television 
and also the appliance industries, 
their distributors and dealers. 

He pointed out that consumer 
Income is near peak levels and 
promises to rise further in com- 
| ing months. At the same time, he 
| said, industry is offering the pub- 
lic new and improved products at 
greater-than-ever values, 

Philco's franchises with distribs 
were defended by John M. Otter, 
executive v.p. of Philco, in an ad- 
| dress ta distributors. Otter stated 
the Department of Justice charges 
against Philco now' pending in the 
; U S. District Court here, consti- 
tuted “a sweeping attack upon an 
established method of distribution 
which has been used widely for 
I years by manufacturers of brand 
name products.” 

Calling the case a dangerous 
challenge to the functions of the 
distrib, Otter declared “Philco 
plans to oppose this unwarranted 
attempt on the part of the govern- 
ment to expand and extend the 
j antitrust laws as business has un- 
derstood them in the past.” 

The government case is aimed 
directly at what Otter termed “im- 
provements to the company’s dis- 
tribution system.” These improve- 
ments were put into effect last Au- 
gust and accepted by the distribu- 
tors and the dealers. 

The three basic points attacked 
by the government, according to 
Otter, are: < 1 * The concept that 
each distrib should limit his activi- 
ties to his assigned territory and 
not franchise dealers In other 
areas; *2* The confining of dealers 
; to retail functions; <3* That dis- 
tribs are prevented from handling 
I competitive products thereby less- 
ening competition in the sale of 
appliances. 

Otter said the Philco contract 
gives dealers the legal right to sell 
anything they please. “Philco does 
not believe it has violated the anti- 
trust laws or any other laws,” the 
v.p. added. 


Lebow 

Continued from pane 31 

; requires no prophetic powers to 
! predict, for example, that the 
biggest single discount house in 
America, in 1955, will be the auto- 
mobile sales agency. 

Of course, the pressure on mark- 
j ups will come from many diree- 
! tions. In 1954 over $50 billion 
j worth of merchandise was sold at 
discounts and only part of this by 
the discount house itself. For an- 
other factor, we must look to the 
economy itself. Our productive 
I capacity is at least 50% higher 
i than it was at the end of the war. 
More units will be made in 1955 
! with no discernible increase in eon- 
) sumer buying power. This, in 
I itself, creates price competition. 
Finally, the fact that the business 
population has reached its highest 
level in history, with over 4.000:000 
enterprises, of whom almost three- 
quarters are serving the consumer 
I as w holesalers, retailers or service 
establishments, means a struggle 
for business in which plenty of red 
j ink will flow. 

| 3.) Television is expensive be- 

. cause it actually does not sell in- 
, dividual products so much as it 
i sells the generalized idea of con- 
sumption. It promotes the goal of 
higher living standards. But the 
' commercials are an intrusion. This 
captive audience, spending several 
hours a day viewing television, is 
faced at best with the necessity of 
rejecting all but one of the auto- 
mobiles which corfle into its living 
| room, all but one or two of the 
breakfast cereals, all but one of 
the coffees, the wristwatches. the 
cigarets. And since people do leave 
I their tv sets at times, and they do 
| give a hearing to house-to-house 
sales-people. read newspapers and 
magazines, look at billboards and 
receive mail and handbills, they 
may also reject 100% of most of 
Ithe products offered on television 
for others which they may select 
as a result of whim, better selling, 
expediency, price, or any one of a 
i dozen other factors. 

Every manufacturer operates on 
j the premise that his product repre- 
sents an essential for the consumer. 
But the consumer’s loyalty is actu- 
ally toward the standard of living 
to which he aspires. Television 
plays an enormous role in pro- 
moting these goals, aspirations, 
desires and wants. 

But the universal use of super- 
lative claims for every product 
equates them all so that price, 
special promotions, premiums, tie- 
ups and other inducements and fea- 
tures can operate to divert a buying 
choice from one product to another 
which voices the identical claims 
and virtues. 

No commodity in 1955 will be as 
valuable as an understanding of 
the marketing techniques which 
will put one product ahead of an- 
other in the ferocious competition 
that will mark this year ahead. 



REHEARSAL HALLS 


LARGE BALLROOMS, STAGE, 
BY DAY, WEEK OR MONTH 

REASONABLE RATES 

BEETH0VEH HALL 

21 0 I. 5 Mi St., Now York City 
OR 4-0459 




ednewlay, January 12, 1955 



NBC Radio Network 


TliM nighttime program is on NBC 

Lux Radio Theatre 


Hie # 1 daytime program is on NBC 

Young Widder Brown 


Nielsen documents it... • 



NBC’s leadership in radio programming has just 
been decisively confirmed by the results of the 
19th Annual Motion Picture Daily poll of 1500 
broadcasting critics and columnists. In this annual 
sounding of opinion among the men and women 
whose job it is to judge radio programs, the only 
two CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS awards and more 
than half of all FIRSTS were captured by ONE 
network: NBC RADIO. 

NBC Radio Network led with two of the three top 

awards in these categories also: COMEDIANS, 
COMEDY TEAMS, POPULAR FEMALE VOCALISTS, 
CLASSICAL VOCALISTS, SPORTSCASTERS, POPULAR 
ORCHESTRAS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. 

And NBC Radio Network made a clean sweep of 
all three top PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS. 

Last week we told you the audience story. Now the 
results of the critics’ scoring are in. Yes, NBC 
Radio is First! 


The critics confirm it: 



NBC Radio won in these categories: 
BEST NETWORK PROGRAM Friday with Garroway 

( Champion of Champions) 

BEST PERFORMER Dave Garroway 

(Champion of Champions) 

BEST DRAMATIC PROGRAM Lux Radio Theater 

BEST MYSTERY PROGRAM Dragnet 

BEST QUIZ PROGRAM You Bet Your Life 

BEST COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW Grand Ole Opry 

BEST VARIETY SHOW Friday With Garroway 
BEST POPULAR ORCHESTRA Guy Lombardo 

BEST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Meet the Press 

BEST PUBLIC SERVICE SHOW Meet the Press 

BEST COMEDY TEAM Fibber McGee & Molly 

BEST ANNOUNCER George Fenneman 

BEST MASTER OF CEREMONIES Dave Garroway • 

BEST POPULAR FEMALE VOCALIST Dinah Shore 





I 




RADIO NETWORK 




44 


ItADIO-TELEYIMOX 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 



New York 


Cameraman Bill McClure of 
CBS-TV’s “See It Now” in from 
his European base for huddles 
with Fd Murrow and Fred Friend- 
ly .. . John Gay’s “Man on the 
Beach” last week <7> was his 10th 
script for Dumont’s “The Stran- 
ger.” Another "tenner” on the 
show is James Blumgarten via this 
week’s “I Never Got Away From 
You” which will also feature an 
original song of the same name 
by the author . . . Dave Moore and 
Charles (Chuck) Hill drew the 
Coast assignment on Ed Murrow’s 
“Person to Person” visit last week 
with Dinah Shore and George 
Montgomery . . . Gross-Baer office 
packaging quarter-hour crossboard- 
er starring organist-singer Ethel 
Smith . . . Wedding parade at 
WCBS-TV: Nancy Jane Schultz, 
Feb. 19; Sue Meltzer, March 10; 
Gilda Ligorner, April 3 . . . Best 
Foods exits as participator on 
CBS-TV’s “Rain or Shine" girl, 
back this week within a fortnight 
alter giving birth . . . Doreen Lang 
to make her fourth appearance 
within a year on NBC-TV’s "Robt. 
Montgomery Presents” next Mon- 
day 1 17> . . . Franklin Jay Wiener is 
successor to Lee LeBlang as asst, 
ad and sales promotion mgr. of 
WCBS-TV, with LeBlang on his 
own as an investment and insur- 
ance consultant. 

Walt Framer has appointed the 
Ashle.v-Steiner agency his sales 
rep on all new Framer packages so 
that he can concentrate on the 
creative and production end . . . 
Carleton Carpenter set for a sup- 
porting role to Jackie Gleason’s 
lead in “Best of Broadway’s” Feb. 
2 version of “The Show-Off” . . . 
Elmer Davis will receive one of 
seven annual awards from the Fed- 
eration of Jewish Philanthropies of 
New York Jan. 20 at the Park 
Sheraton . . . Paul Whiteman will 
conduct the ABC Symphony in a 
Gershwin Memorial Concert at 
Carnegie Hall Feb. 12 . . . Jack 
Barry to emcee the annual fund- 
raising luncheon of the Greater 
N.Y. Councils of the Boy Scouts of 
America Jan. 18 at the Commodore. 
. . . Robert P. Canavan, formerly 
with ABC-TV, joined the station 
rep outfit of Dcvney & Co. as a 
sales exec and tv consultant . . . 
Eighth annual awards dinner Jan. 
27 at the Park Sheraton of the 
Sports Broadcasters Assn, will 
present the SBA Graham McNamee 
memorial award to Leo Durocher, 
while Lou Little. Hank Greenberg 
and Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons get 
plaques of merit . . . Rogers & 
Cowan flackery firm moved to 
larger offices; ditto Dine & 
Kalmus . . . Actor Jimmy Yoham 
hack in town after a Florida holi- 
day family visit . . . Jack Livesey 
into the cast of Kraft Theatre 
tonight (Wed.) . . . Stanley* Lemin 
set for next week’s <19> Kraft dis- 
play . . . Greer Johnson, co-author 
of Broadway's current “Mrs. Pat- 
terson,” sold his fourth television 
original. “The Hallelujah Corner” 
to Armstrong Circle Theatre, 
scheduled tentatively for Feb. 15. 
. . . George Zolotar, for years head 
of the Securities & Exchange Com- 


| mission’s corporate reorganization 
! division, has joined Levine & 
i Rembar, law firm with N.Y. and 
1 L A. tv and film commitments. 

Chris Schenkel, DuMont sports- 
caster, knotted to model Fran 
Paige . . . Don Morrow handling 
announcing chores on Nabisco’s 
“Rin Tin Tin” skein . . . Joey 
Adams guests today (Wed.) on 
WATV’s "Jewish Talent Unlim- 
ited" . . . Pidgie Jamieson into 
"Janet Dean” last night tTues.) 
... Dave Brown succeeds Jess 
Kimmel as producer of Jan Mur- 
ray's "Dollar a Second." Kimmel 
heads for Coast . . . Florence 
George (wife of Everett Crosby) 

J thrushes in Dumont’s "Opera 
Cameos” on Jan. 23. Role is from 
Donizetti’s "Don Pasquale” . . . 
Danny Hill, lately tv liaison for the 
NCAA-TV committee, returns this 
week to p.r. directorship at San 
Jose college on Coast . . . William- 
son Candy and Wildroot (hair 
tonic) have pencilled for WATV's 
college basketball sked . . . Ellen 
Parker went from a one-shot to 
eight weeks to 16 weeks’ extension 
i on Sid Caesar show. 

Bert Lown left by auto last week 
for Hollywood to take over his 
new assignment as western man- 
ager of CBS-TV station relations. 
He'll visit several outlets in his 
new territory while making the 
crosscountry trek and is due to 
arrive on the Coast Jan. 20 . . . 
Pat Weaver’s scheduled vacation 
i falls into the period Feb. 11-March 
6. starting the day before NBC 
dedicates its color studio on the 
Coast. The NBC prexy, inciden- 
tally. called in all the web’s vee- 
pees last week for a luncheon- 
huddle . . . Betsy Traube, six-year- 
old daughter of legit producer 
, Shepard Traube, featured on 
! WCBS-TV’s "Space Funnies” Sun- 
day <9) . . . The syndicated “Time 
for Beany." seen in N. Y. on the 
CBS o&o, may switch over to NBC 
as a network show. 


Chicago 

Joe McKay and Jim O’Riley 

added to the Kling Film directorial 
staff . . . Ron Terry has been 
dropped after three years as com- 
mercial spieler on Polk Bros.’ 
several WBKB shows. Terry’s own 
package. "Flight Plan.” continues 
on the ABC-TV station . . . Dr. 
Frances Horwich vacationing from 
NBC-TV’s "Ding Dong School” for 
a couple of weeks in Hawaii. 
Morning show continues via the 
kine route . . . Dirk Courtenay’s 
midnight deejay session on WGN- 
TV expanded to three nights week- 
ly .. . Colby Lewis. ex-WGHB-TV, 
Boston, joins WTTW, Chi’s educa- 
tional station, as production man- 
eger . . . With Claude Kirchner 
winging to Florida for a week, 
Fred Kasper takes over as ring- 
master of ABC - TV’s "Super 
Circus” Sunday <16* . . . WBBM- 
TV’s weatherman P. J. Hoff nar- 
rated an educational film for 
Encyclopedia Britanniea Films . . . 
C.E.T. bankrolling a double feature 
films Saturday afternoons of 
WNBQ . . . Hilly Rose checked 
into Kling Films for special crea- 
tive assignments . 


Rehearsal time 
Is money lost ; 
Cut rehearsals , 
Cut your cost • 


WITH 


< 

TelePrompier 


kipui YORK W»it 43rd St. 

NtW TLJKK phone . Judlon 2-3800 

RAYMOND HAGEN 

CHICAGO Norlh 

|f\c AMPFICC GEORGE KANE 

LOS ANGELES 615 , Santa Monica B)v ^ 


WASHINGTON 


FRED BARTON 
1346 Connecticut Avo. 


TORONTO Lr“ l °r 1 ' lTB ' 

447 Jarvtt St. 

— and other principal cities in the U. S. and Canada 


Helffrich 

Continued from page 31 

which parents blithely send their 
kids to see Saturday afternoons at 
local theatres is unbelieveably 
strong fare. Spot advertising of it 
on tv gets drastic cutting. Six 
such, submitted for “The Mad Ma- 
gician.” topped everything for 
gore. The NBC-Chicago office man- 
aged to salvage one by cutting out 
a three-second scream at the be- 
ginning and 45 seconds later delet- 
ing (to quote Chicago) “scenes of a 
head being cut through, yes. 
through by a buzz-saw and a man 
burning to death in a glass coffin." 

Other things bother viewers, 
particularly those who feel their 
professions maligned. The meat 
industry is touchy where the high 
cost of living is referred to by an 
oversimplified tagging to the cost 
of lamb chops; the bowling and 
billiard interests feel too many 
gangster locales are shown as pool- 
rooms; a warehousemen’s league 
wrote us a deft letter suggesting . 
that once in a while whodunit writ- 
ers might have a murder take 
place, say, in the lobby of the 
Waldorf-Astoria instead of so often 
in an abandoned or dirty ware- 
house in the worst section of town 
with an 80-year-old night watch- 
man usually not on the ball. 

Some nice gents from the Brook- 
lyn and Queens Pawnbrokers Asso- 
ciation and the N.Y. Pawnbrokers 
Assn, came in to see me with some 
pretty reasonable and logical ob- 
servations. All they want is a little 
more effort at documentation 
where pawnbrokers are depicted in 
broadcasts. 

Most of these public relations 
representatives for "special inter- 
ests” make it clear they don’t want 
to interfere in plot details. Just 
want a few less cliches when their 
principals are involved. Henry 
Morgan took us to task in this 
regard last spring, said our com- 
pliance was hurting adult satire, 
specifically criticized our question- 
ing of a scene where a patient in a 
dentist’s chair said "ouch.” 

But isn’t it careless consistently 
to cliche what goes on in a dentist's 
chair? Building confidence in chil- 
dren towards dentists and reassur- 
ing them that every visit to a 
dentist is not synonomous with 
pain is a matter of importance to 
all responsible parents. We contend 
that our medium is not serving the 
public interest if it ignores its 
responsibility where accuracy on 
dentists, and, yes, on pawnbrokers 
and many other "special interests” 
are concerned. We don’t take the 
position you can never kid around 
about dentists or about pawnbrok- 
ers but do contend that the way it 
is done and how’ often it is re- 
peated is our responsibility. 

Same thing goes on racial stereo- 
types. Don’t think we don’t have 
troubles with the distinctions 
there! Main aim is to avoid that 
w hich denies to any racial minority 
its dignity as such. We couldn’t 
agree with a critic of a Ronzoni 
commercial (which refers to "Ital- 
ian-Americans, the folks who know 
spaghetti and macaroni best”) as 
being racially stereotyping but we 
do agree that it is unfair to cast 
gangsters as Italian. Irishmen as 
drunks, Negroes and Jews as what- 
ever stock stereotypes would have 
them to be. etc. Racial groups, like 
“special interests,” rate accurate 
handling. We don't think respon- 
sible representation should be 
confused with stifling artistic free- 
dom where satire in general is con- 
cerned. 

Could keep saying, you should 
have seen what we threw out. But 
that’s like telling NAFBRAT we 
nixed “hitting man in the mouth 
and feeling his teeth cave in and 
his skull crackling like cello- 
phane." They’ll latch on to some- 
thing out of context we didn't scis- 
sor and have it that tv and tv alone 
is to blame because the United 
States has the highest crime in the 
civilized world. 

Could’ve clipped a two-minute 
long brawl in a recent “Dragnet,” 
a sequence clearly establishing the 
risks to which law enforcement 
officers are sometimes exposed, 
hut then it wouldn’t have been 
“Dragnet.” 

Not complaining, mind you. Not 
under crippling strain, you under- 
stand. Only a few of us border on 
incipient ulcers. Only some of us 
have sporadic outcroppings of a 
psychosomatic allergy or two. We 
are taking things in stride. If you 
have a squawk, we’ll listen. It it’s 
reasonable, we’ll learn. 


Inside Stuff— Radio-TV 

Talent Associates is blueprinting a teleplay award open to every 
university and college in the U. S. It’s for an original half-hour script 
with a grand aw'art}, and four or five runners-up. The winning manu- 
script will be showcased on TA’s “Armstrong’s Circle Theatre” on 
NBC-TV, with the kudosed playwright to be brought into New York 
to assist in the production, which will be done by David Susskind. 
Latter is partnered with A1 Levy in Talent Associates, w-hich fronts 
the Philco-Goodyear "TV Playhouse,” "Justice” and “Mr. Peepers” 
all on NBC. 

Judges for the competition will be a trio of TA’s writing stable 
David Shaw\ Robert Alan Aurthur and N. Richard Nash. About 
$1,750 will be involved in the telescript scramble, with $750 for the 
winner. 


Revlon, which three weeks ago dropped "What’s Going On?" from 
its Sunday-at-9:30 perch on ABC-TV and substituted “Pantomime 
Quiz” instead, has decided to hold on to the time slot but still isn’t 
certain about the program. It’s asked the web for two additional 
weeks before giving notification of renewal in order to see how 
"Panto.” which bowed last week, will work out. 

If the cosmetic outfit and its agency, the William Weintraub Co., 
don't like what they see, they’ll shop for another segment. If they do, 
“Panto” is assured of another 13 weeks in the slot. 


WOR and WOR-TV, General Teleradio stations in N. Y., have begun 
a merchandising setup involving food and beverage manufacturers. 
Every bankroller investing $1,000 a week for 13 weeks firm in any 
combinations sked on WOR and WOR-TV is marked for the plan. 

Art Dawson, station merchandising chief, has pacted with 10 Got- 
ham food wholesalers to use their sales staffs (combined strength, 
500) in pushing the WOR Contract Plan. Idea is for them to hit re- 
tailers in the met area to pep sales on sponsored items. Stations are 
going to send out bulletins to all indie grocers in the listening area 
as a booster. 

WOR says that aim is to hit the indie grocers, estimated at 20,000 
in and around N. Y. Dawson says that, opposed to radio-tv merchandis- 
ing among 2.300 chain food stores, this is the first time any station has 
planned to hit all the indie grocers. 


CBS Radio’s spot sales promotion department under Sherril Taylor 
has prepared a presentation tracing the growth of radio in general 
and spots in particular. It’s on colored cartooned slides titled 
“Hear Ye, Hear Ye” and got an unveiling before 22 General Foods 
executives at the Westchester Country Club. Other showings will be 
for clients and agency execs throughout the country. 


William B. Ryan, executive v.p. of the Quality Radio Group, planed 
to Chicago Monday <10) for a directors meeting of QRG, slated for 
yesterday (Tues. ). He was to discuss basic policy matters and also to 
unveil the taped web’s basic sales presentation to the board of di- 
rectors. 

Apart from screening program material and hitting agencies on an 
informal basis upon his return, Ryan will concentrate on finding office 
space on N. Y. for QRG. He’s presently sharing a Madison Ave. 
office with Vitapix Corp., but intends to move into his own setup as 
soon as possible. 


King Features Syndicate is peddling for tele a number of Damon 
Runyon columns and stories turned out for the syndicate by Runyon 
over a period of years. At least two probable sponsors are reported 
in the market for the material. 

Because of previous commitments, Runyon material could not be 
offered for tv for the last few years. Understood that the backlog 
of Runyon material includes hundreds of yarns, since the writer did 
a daily short story for the newspapers for years. 


U. of Illinois is launching Payne Communications Awards for the 
best tv scripts built around college liberal arts. First prize is $700, 
second prize $300. Prizewinning scripts will be produced by the 
university’s radio-tv service with kines made available to other edu- 
cational stations through the Educational tv center in Ann Arbor, 
Mich. 


NCAA Grid Policy 


Continued from 26 


fined) choice of games. As a mat- | 
ter of fact, it was said before the ! 
convention started that hopes 
among ECACers at least were to 
allow games to be chosen the week 
before they are played instead of 
before the season start when only 
a Svengali could accurately choose 
which rays will be the best. 

ECAC, in supporting the slight 
relaxation of the current tv plan, 
informed conventioneers that it 
might also be possible to arrange 
for strictly local telecasts, pro- 
vided the NCAA-TV committee de- 
cides that such coverage will not 
interfere with other games in the 
area. That idea was expected to 
cause great hassling between net- 
work and local tv’ers for control 
of the video audience, and the con- 
flict was expected to make the net- 
work package worth far less than 
the $2,226,000 paid by ABC-TV 
last year. However, an NCAAer 
confided to reporters that the last 
clause of the “liberalized” setup 
(up to the NCAA to decide whether 
the local games might interfere 
with a competing gate) would, in 
practice, virtually cut out local tv 
entirely. 

Regarding the pricetag on a net- 
work package, web sports staffers 
have unofficially been informed 
that it will be lower than last year. 
Though they blame selling tactics 
at ABC-TV for failure to collect 
sufficient sponsors to make it a 
going proposition, they also con- 
cede that the price of $2,226,000 
was too high to be economically 
feasible for most bankrollers. 

At the convention, held in N. Y., 
the NCAA didn’t let the chance to 
blast the pro gridders go by. 
There’s long been discontent 
among collegians who fear that the 


National Football League, which 
last season televised mostly via 
DuMont, would infringe upon the 
college’s traditional Saturday after- 
noon time. Matty Bell of the 
NCAA ranks said that “the pro- 
fessionals care nothing about the 
game of football and its future. 
Their only concern is to make a 
dollar out of a game which was 
conceived for other purposes.” 



TEXACO STAR THEATRE 

SATURDAY NIGHT— N.i.C. 

% 

Mgt.i William Morris Agency 


$ 1 , 000,000 

REAL ESTATE 

Syndicate Forming 

To BUY and SELL 
INVESTMENT 
PROPERTIES 

Coast-to-Coast 

Inquiries Invited— Writ* Box V-135 
VARIETY, 154 W. 46th St. Naw York 




Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


...like WCAU, Philadelphia 

/ ■ 

More advertisers spend more money on WCAU-TV than on any 

other Philadelphia television station. In national spot and 

local advertising alone, WCAU-TV has 29% more sponsored time 

segments than Station ‘B’ and 43% more than Station C.* 


/ 


Some people are born leaders 




The Philadelphia Bulletin Radio and TV Stations 


CBS Affiliates 


Represented by CBS Radio and Television Spot Sales 



46 


RADIO-TELEVISION 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


KP1X Strike Settled But Frisco 

Still in Throes of Union Woes 


San Francisco, Jan. 11. ♦ 

With the settlement of the 
joint AFTRA-NABET strike against 
KPIX, the radio-tv business herd 
still has several other union situa- 
tions cookine. 

Indie good music station KHAR i 
is now in its third month of a 
joint NABET-AFTRA strike with i 
no prospect of settlement at this 
time. There have b on numerous 
rumors of a sale of the station and 
at least o.ie concrete offer has been ' 
made but the station management 
denies a.iy i-Kontio 1 of s >! : . i ■ a j 

recent decision on the s'.ation’s re- 
quest for i n injunction against the 
unions fo v \’''i:.nee. S : 'e - v e j 
Murrey Draper of San Mateo de- 
ned t’m request and termed the 
KEAR allegations “rankest hear- 
say.” 

AFTRA is currently negotiating 
with KGO-TV and the ne work ra- ■ 
dio stations lor a new contract and 
an offer has been received from 
the stations which is termed by the 
union as close to acceptable. There 
seems little likelihood that t his 
situation will e upt. 

However, with contracts secured 
at KPIX, both NABET and AFTRA 
are now training their sights on 
the Stockton tv station KOVH j 
which is making a hid for San 
Francisco coverage via its trans- 
mitter on Mt. Diablo which beams 
a strong signal into the city. The 
International Brotherhood of Elec- 
trical Workers has made a pass at 
unionizing the technicians at KOVR 
but has not been successful so far 
with t he result that NABET is now 
making a pitch for them. Several 
engineers and technicians are 
NABET members from the east. 

Agreements were reached last 
week between Westinghouse tv sta- 
tion KPIX and striking NABET and 
AFTRA after almost a month. Nor- 
mla operations resumed Jan. 6. ' 
Meanwhile an investigator for the 
FCC visited the station following 
charges of “sabotage” which have 
been emphatically denied bj’ the 
union. 

Both sides claimed victory in the 
strike settlement. 


Esso, Piel’s Beer Sign 
For WPIX U Telepool , 

There a e currently two video 
advertisers par ted with Telepool, j 
the Massachusetts-based outfit j 
which reps a group of northeastern 
UHF stations receiving various 
program feeds from N. Y.’s WPIX. I 
Esso and Piei’s Beer, two of j 
W’PIX’s four bankrollers for a four- ; 
night-a-wcek Madison Square Gar- 1 
den sports lineup, are now co-spon- 
soring the Wednesday and Satur- 
day coverage on the small UIIF 
network as well. Piel’s was for- 
merly in on Telepool Wednesdays 
only. 

WPIX supplies the games to be- 
tween six and eight UHF stations 
via relays. 


RADIO-TV GAB CIRCUIT 


Busy Days on the ‘Have Speech — 
Will Travel’ Boards 


Ping up a few more New York 
radio-tv figures on the “Have 
Speech — Will Travel” register. 

Phil Alampi, WRCA’s farm di- 
rector and garden editor, at Long 
Island Nurserymen’s Assn, meet- 
ing. Farmingdalc, Jan. 18; subject. 
“Authentic Horticultural Advertis- 
ing on Radio and Television" 
< Alampi also attended the Penn- 
sylvania Farm Show yeste day 
• Tups ' in Harrisburg.! 

Indie press agent Arthur Cantor 
( St eve Allen. Talent Associates, 
etc.', last night to the NYU pub- 
licity class of Bob Blake, press 
chief of the NBC owned-and-op- 
erated. 

Robert Hcrridge, producer of 
WCBS-TV’s “Camera Th ee,” in a 
Jan. 15 symposium at Columbia 
U.’s Teachers College, sponsored 
by National Council of Teachers of 
English; subject, “Adapting Liter- 
ary Material to Television. (Other 
speakers, writer Eric Barnouw and 
actress Mildred Dunnock.) 

Sam Slate, program director of 
WCBS, at 10th annual session of 
Georgia Radio and TV Institute, 
Henry W. Grady School of Journal- 
ism, U. of Georgia at . thens, Jan. 
27. 

George Olden, director of graph- 
ic arts of CBS-TV, on “Art in Tele- 
vision” at Boston Art Directors 
ClTib dinner in the Boston Club. 
Feb. 9 (Olden was the first tv art 
director to gain membership in 
the N. Y. Art Directors Club and 
the National Society of Art Di- 
rectors.) 

John Henry Faulk and Martha 
Wright, of WCBS, at theatre bene- 
fit of Women’s Club of Columbia 
U.'s College of Pharmacy, Jan. 22. 

WIP’s On-Spot Coverage 
Of Philiy Transit Crisis 

Philadelphia. Jan. 11. 

Philadelphia’s transit workers 
and indie station WIP appear to 
be making the union’s strike meet- 
ings a biennial event. The Ben 
Gimbel outlet set up microphones 
last night <Mon.) in Town Hall for 
a mass meeting of Local 234 of 
the Transport Workers Union at 
which leaders of the union recom- 
mended a strike against the city’s 
transit companies. Some 8,900 
members of the union, along with 
WIP’s radio audience, which had 
been given a heavy-on-the-air pro- 
motion notice since yesterday 
noon, heard TWU International 
prexy Mike Quill and local presi- 
dent Paul O’Rourke recommend 
the strike. 

Two years ago, the station set a 
precedent when it recorded an ac- 
tual strike vote by the same union 
which preceded the general transit 
strike in Philiy at the time. 



Roger White, Agneta 
Into Management Field 

Roger White, veteran radio-tv 
producer, has entered the personal 
management field in New York. As- 
i sociated with him is talent agent 
Nick Agneta. 

White, a former musician, pro- 
duced a number of major comedy 
and variety radio shows over a 
span of some 20 years. Among 
them was Fred Allen’s initial foray 
into network showcasing. During 
i World War 11 he masterminded 
'“Stage Door Canteen’ for Corn 
Products, the latter a sponsor of 
several other White programs. In 
recent years he’s been devoted to 
packaging. 

Among White’s initial clients are 
i A1 Collins, WRCA disk jockey re- 
i cruiled by the NBC flagship recent- 
ly from WNEW, and Jim Simpson, 
Washington. D. C., sportscaster 
who’s coming to New York shortly. 

Simpson, incidentally, has been 
j assigned by CBS Radio (via sports 
director John Derr) to cover the 
; Pan American Games in Mexico 
• City in March. 


RCA Color Tube 

. » Continued from page 25 ~ 

j the market. It is RCA’s hope that 
this substantial price reduction will 
encourage competing manufactur- 
; ers in the industry to go into pro- 
duction promptly in the field of 
color television.’’ 

RCA inserted a full page in the 
N. Y. Times on Monday (10) to 
I invite the public to “Yellow Jack.” 
j presented on NBC-TV’s “Producers 
Showcase.” to RCA’s Exhibition 
Hall of West 49th St. Included in 
the 21-inch color monitor setup was 
the small Johnny Victor Theatre, 
with some 400 turning out to view 
the show in the two spots. A crowd 
of less than 200 at its peak gath- 
ered at the windows outside the 
Exhibition Hall and by about 8:30 
p. m. the "out in the cold” audi- 
once began to thin out. Toward 
the show's conclusion at 9:30 there 
was hardly anyone left outside of 
a couple of mounted policemen 
and patrolmen. Emergency barri- 
cades brought on were not re- 
quired The ad incidentally, con- 
tained a blooper in tabbing Sidney 
Howard’s play as a Pulitzer Prize- 
winner. It did not win the Pulitzer 
! accolade that season (1933-34). 


‘Home’ 

Continued from page 25 

two stems plugging the “Home in 
Chicago” theme. And the Mart it- 
self was plastered with “Welcome 
Home” banners. 

There’s little doubt in the minds 
of the NBC-TV salesmen stationed 
here that all the hoopdedoo and 
personalized treatment spread 
about t he Windy City last week 
focused plenty of attention on the 
femme-angled crossboarder, which 
is “playing” San Francisco this 
week. 

“Home’s” visit here serves as a 
reminder that the Windy City is 
the home of ABC’s “Breakfast 
Club.” which is now in its second 
decade as a radio staple. Jaunts by 
Don McNeill and his BC gang have 
been annual events for years, with 
a Coast trek due up in a couple of 
weeks. 


Lamb 

Continued from page 26 

resume next Tuesday (18), haying 
been postponed from the previous- 
ly scheduled date of Jan. 4. How- 
ever, a further postponement is 
now almost certain because of the 
resignation last week of Walter 
Powell, who was handling the gov- 
ernment side in the proceedings, 
to join the legal staff of the Na- 
tional Assn, of Radio and TV 
Broadcasters. 

Powell’s replacement. Edward J. 
Brown, has requested that the case 
be continued until Feb. 9 to en- 
able him to familiarize himself 
with the testimony of the 19 wit- 
nesses who have appeared during 
the 34 days of hearings the gov- 
ernment has required for its pres- 
entation (including cross-examina- 
tion by Lamb’s counsel). 

Unless there is strong opposi- 
tion by Lamb’s attorneys, it is like- 
ly that Brown’s request will be 
granted. But regardless of what 
action is taken, it now seems high- 
ly doubtful that the hearings will 
go ahead by Feb. 9, if by then. 


Hearst 


Canada’s No. 2 


Continued from page 31 , 

posed to the Hearst Corp., which 
runs the magazines and radio-tv 
operations). 

Purchase ends a seven-year 
hassle in Milwaukee that as re- 
cently as last summer saw Sen. Joe 
McCarthy’s name interjected amid 
charges of politics and favoritism. 

With an application pending for a 
V in Milwaukee from the pre- 
freeze days, Hearst fought a post- 
frecze decision by the FCC to allo- 
cate Channel 10 for educational 
purposes tooth-and-nail. When the 
FCC decision stood, Hearst suc- 
cessfully petitioned the Commis- 
sion to allocate Channel 6 in near- 
by Whitefish Bay, a channel alloca- 
tion that previously hadn’t Jieen 
considered by the FCC. But no 
sooner did the FCC allocate the 
channel than a couple of UHF op- 
erators and applicants in Milwau- 
kee filed applications for the grant 
along with Hearst, thereby block- 
ing it again. Whitefish Bay appli- 
cations are still pending, but 
Hearst of course has dropped its 
bid with purchase of WTVW. 

Station will remain an ABC 
affiliate, since NBC is pat with Wal- 
ter Damm’s WTMJ and CBS has 
purchased its own U outlet. Pur- 
chase was made from the Milwau- 
kee Area Telecasting Corp., which 
put the outlet into operation last 
Oct. 27 as an ABC basic. Provost, 
w'ho headquarters in Baltimore, 
will directly supervise the Milwau- 
kee operation, bicycling back and 
forth between the two cities until 
an active manager is appointed. 
Purchase, of course, is subject to 
okay by the FCC. 




Status in Video 

Ottawa, Jan. H. 

During 1954. Canada became the 
world’s second-ranking television 
country, according to A. D. Dunton, 
chairman of the Canadian Broad- 
casting Corp.’s board of governors. 
Dunton claimed Canada produced 
more video shows than any other 
country outside the United States, 
was second in number of stations 
(24. including CBC and privately- 
owned outlets), and second in the 
proportion of the public watching 
tv. Now in its third year of tv air- 
ing. Canada tv reaches three-quar- 
ters of the pooulation. he said. 

Dunton credited cooperation be- 
tween public and private enter- 
prise for the wide and speedy de- 
velopment of tv in Canada. “The 
CBC.” he said, “and private sta- 
tions are working in effect as part- 
ners and the partnership has pro- 
duced what has been probably the 
most ranid growth of television in 
the world.” 

Dunton saw' the challenge ahead 
as one for greater production and 
further improvement in video pro- 
grams. also more production out- 
side Ontario and Quebec. (CBC had 
previously announced a microwave 
link between the prairies and the 
Ont.-Que. web in two years with 
completion of a coast-to-coast net- 
work in three years.) 

Declaring it was cheaper to im- 
port television shows, Dunton said, 
“If we imported all, or nearly all, 
our programs in this country, 
Canadians would have little chance 
to express themselves in the new 
medium.” 

"Tn television, as In many other 
fields.” said the CBC topper, 
“Canadians can have plenty of sen- 
sible confidence in themselves.” 


Continued from page 31 

the interest when KQV ran Into 
competition with four other appli- 
cants for channel 4 in Irwin, Pa. 

The WENS complaint also sug- 
gested that the FCC look into 
agreements bv the network, not 
to enter the Washington. D.C., and 
Minneapolis markets with owned 
and operated stations for 10 years 
when CBS sold its minority inter- 
ests in WTOP and WCCO. 

“It is high time that this Com- 
mission knew in what direction 
CBS is moving,” WENS concluded. 

The complaint was filed by 
WENS counsel, McKenna & Wil- 
kinson. The law firm represented 
the ABC network during hearings 
on the merger of ABC with United 
Paramount Theatres. ABC’s tv 
affiliate in Pittsburgh is WENS. 


CBS Radio 

Continued from pace 27 


Charlotte United Appeal 
Nets 62G In Telethon 

Greensboro, N.C. 

Cash ar.d pledges of more than 
$62,000 were brought into the 
Charlotte United Appeal by a 16- 
hour telethon over WBTV. Local 
talent combined with singers Mon- 
ica Lewis. Bill Hayes and Jimmy 
Boyd, television commentator Doug- 
las Edwards and comedian Larry 
Storch to provide entertainment 
for the program. 

Expenses of the telethon were 
approximately $4,000. 


TOMMY LYMAN 

at the Fashionable 

5th AVE. HOTEL 


has pacted for one-a-week of the 
Tennessee Ernie show under the 
Power Plan. Previously in under 
the plan on the show was Philip 
Morris in a thrice-weekly ride. 
There’s an augmented order from 
Hunt Club Dog Food for quarter- 
hour underwriting of Galen Drake’s 
Saturday morning variety show. 
Pooch food outfit originally had 
inked for a 13-week deal last fall 
with stipulation that they’d exit in 
December after nine weeks and 
pick up the remaining four weeks 
in January. Client decided not to 
return for the remaining four but 
put in a new order for a cycle start- 
ing March 5. CBS-Columbia con- 
tinues as alternate sponsor of the 
Sunday night “Amos ’n’ Andy.” 
The wqb’s receiver-phono subsidi- 
ary had originally signed on until 
year’s end, but now rides until 
early May. 


ABC Aft. 

SS 5 Continued from page 27 

Standard Oil of California), “Rev- 
lon Theatre” and “Pepsi-Cola Play- 
house” as possible entries. It’s also 
dickering with Screen Gems on 
some “Ford Theatre” pix and with 
Ziv on other properties. Net fig- 
ures the low pricetag on participa- 
tions should cover objections to re- 
runs, figuring out a cost-per-thou- 
sand of $1.75 for a 4.0 rating with 
a 70% coverage factor. This com- 
pares to about a $3.75-per-thousand 
average for “Today,” “Tonight” 
and “Home” on NBC with an aver- 
age rating of 5.0 for the three 
shows with a slightly higher cover- 
age factor. 


24 Fifth Avenue 
Featuring 

YOU DON’T HAVE 
TO DRAW ME 
A PICTURE 

By JACK BETNER 

Published by Citation Music Co. 

Spocial Material by 
MILT FRANCIS 


GAL FRIDAY 

And trained ail round assistant to busy artist 
or business Under. Taka lull thar|« hams 
ar aftl-e. 

Cam plate entertainment business acuman: 
Baoklns eftlces. Broadcasting Thaatra. Adver- 
tlalnfl : Salas - Product iva-fubl letty- Pramat Ion. 
Cam plate aducatlan, excellent rafarancas. Per- 
aanabla. mature, rat labia, steady. Will werk 
add hours, day. areak, month. Permanent 
$5200 start. Will travel. Own typewriter. 
Write Bax V 175, Variety. 154 West 4$ St- 
New Yark. N. Y. 



Mid-Town Apartment 


Large, one and one-half rooms, 
well known apartment building on 
West 56th Street, beautiful furnish- 
ings, lease available, controlled 
rent, COIembus 5-0905. 



For Lease 

MAIN FlOO* 

LARGE STUDIO 

1 !».'*< >o s<j. Ft : st !•!>■ 

10 Minutes Timas 64 . 

Italmn.v A It - mt . 

Tnlrtl -’•S.OUU H'l Ft. 

O RECORDING 

‘■0 IT. chum: . 

# SCULPTOR 

l oin rrlr 1 iri-tru- ' 1' " 

■>n him* ».* n . I'HtkinS 

j e MOVIE SHORTS 

Terms Atfactive 

! # T.V. ETC 

Exrlusivt With 

MACE ORG.. 44- IT Q 

uaans 8lvd. EX-2-5M0 



Uninfwlay, Janwary 12, 1955 


TV-FILMS 


47 


Balaban Takes Hiatus’ on Princess 
Made-for-TV’ Pix, Eyes Theatres 


Patti Page Pilots 


princess Pictures, the Burt Bala- 
ban production unit which was first 
j„ the features-produced-for-tv 
field, has abandoned attempts to 
tur n out a second cycle of 13 films 
and instead has signed video rights 
?„r 13 independently produced the- 
atrical features. Princess has 
turned the entire group of 13 orig- 
inals and 13 theatrical pix to Fla- 
mingo Films, which will distribute 
the films under a longterm con- 
tract. 

princess hasn’t abandoned the 
idea of features-for-tv. however 
and after it turns out three theat- 
rical pix to be produced in Britain 
in Cinemascope and color, it will 
again turn its attention to a new 
series of 13 “tailormade-for-tv” fea- 
tures, with the difference between 
this and its first attempt being the 
reservation of the right to put some 
of them into American theatrical 
distribution and to produce the 
cycle over a year’s time instead of 
six months. Balaban expects to 
start the tv features in about eight 
months, and will shoot them in 
Britain. 

Balaban had entered the feature 
production field under an arrange- 
ment with Vitapix, under which he 
agreed to turn out a group of 26 
features within a year which Vita- 
pix would sell to stations as "made 
for tv" properties. Vitapix's sales 
efforts were successful to the point 
where nearly 70 stations bought 
the property, but many scheduled 
them as programs rather than fea- 
tures. and Balaban found that it 
was an impossible task to meet a 
weekly deadline. After winding 
production on the first 13 in Ger- 
many and Britain, he began nego- 
tiations for already-produced the- 
atrical features, and last week 
closed the deal for 13 of them 
then turning the entire group over 
to Flamingo for distribution. He 
had previously settled his commit- 
ment to Vitapix when the latter 
merged with Guild Films. Inci- 
dentally. Bob Wormhoudt, Vitapix’s 
(Continued on page 49) 


$ $Mo vie in D. C. Click 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Latest champ in the local tv rat- 
ing sweepstakes appears to be Gen- 
eral Teleradio’s "Million Dollar 
Movie" series of Hollywood pix 
currently being shown on WTTG- 
DuMont. Booked by station man- 
ager Leslie Arries Jr. in an effort 
to boost station's lagging ratings, 
high budget series went over top 
in its initial stanza. 

Skedded on the basis of one film 
per week running four nights, first 
presentation, "Arch of Triumph," 
was seen by an audience of 830,- 
000, according to both Telepulse 
and ARB estimates. Station jubi- 
lantly announced that this exceed- 
ed double SRO capacity of all five 
first runs in- town’s main stem. 


Patti Page has entered the tele- 
film field with a pair of pilot films 
which General Artists Corp. will 
peddle to a national bankrolled 
Films, w hich were shot Sunday ( 9 > 
at Fox-Movietone Studios in New 
York, are being coproduced by 
Jack Rael, her manager, and Lee 
Cooley, who produces Perry 
Corho's live CBS-TV stanza. 

Rael and Cooley used the Screen 
Gems crew’ to shoot the films, 
, w hich incidentally w ill employ the 
Perspecta sound process. 


’55 to Find Upswing in Gotham 
Telefilm Production; Major Shows 


SCHUBERT’S 250G 

SUIT VS. LOVETON 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Bernard L. Schubert has filed 
suit in Santa Mcliica Superior 
Court for $250,000 against John 
W. Loveton. producer of "Mr. and 
Mrs. North" program. Advertising 
Television Program Services, Inc., 
tv distrib and others charging loss 
! of commissions. Complaint as- 
serted Schubert had a booking 
contract for the series from Octo- 
ber, 1952, to Jan. 1, 1954, but that 
Loveton on July 30, 1954. informed 
I him he wouldn’t be allowed by 
Loveton to exercise these rights in 
the future. 

Schubert estimated the pact can- 
cellation would damage him to the 
extent of $250,000. He further 
asked a court order to enjoin Ad- 
vertising Television from taking 
over his job repping the program. 


Cron’s NBC Exit 
In Policy Tiff 

John B. Cron, one of the NBC 
execs who pioneered the establish- 
ment of the NBC Film Division 
and was for the past several years 
its national sales manager, exited 
the syndication operation last 
week, reportedly in a tiff over pol- 
icy. Film Division has replaced 
|him with H. Weller (Jake) Keever, 
whom it moved in from Chicago, 
where he was central sales super- 
visor. 

Cron’s future plans aren’t 
known, although he’s said to be 
dickering several deals with other 
syndicators. That he had had sev- 
eral high-level policy disagree- 
ments about product and sales pol- 
icy was no secret, but the final 
exit came as a surprise. Keever, 
his successor, had been operating 
in New York for the past month, 
but as a replacement for eastern 
sales chief Leonard C. Warager, 
who has been ill. 

Keever’s first official act was to 
promote his three divisional su- 
pervisors to the posts of divisional 
sales managers. They are Wara- 
ger, operating out of N. Y., eastern 
sales manager; Dan Curtis, who suc- 
ceeds Keever in Chicago, central 
sales manager; and Clifford Ogden, 
western sales manager in Los An- 
geles. At the same time, advertising- 
promotion manager by Jay Smolin 
expanded his setup with the addi- 
tion of Curtiss G. James, formerly 
with the Murphy & Hang agency of 
'Dayton as a presentation writer. 


McCrea’s ‘Vegas’ Vidpix 

Hollwood, Jan. 11. 

Joel McCrea is negotiating for 
Peter Graves to star in vidpix se- 
i ries, "Las Vegas Gentlemen.” 
which McCrea will produce. Mc- 
'Crea won’t be on tv himself be- 
cause, he said, he sees no point in 
going into it; he prefers pix, and 
he feels tv is "too fast” a me- 
dium. 

However, when he finishes work 
in Allied Artists’ "Wichita," in 
which he’s currently starring, he 
will proceed with detailed plans 
for his services, to be based on ad- 
ventures on a Las Vegas resort 
hotel owner. Series will be dis- 
tributed on a syndication basis. 


PANDA SIGNS GREENE 
FOR ‘ROBIN HOOD’ 

Panda Productions, the British 
producing outfit headed by Hannah 
Weinstein, has signed Richard 
Greene to star in its upcoming 
"Robin Hood" telepix series and 
will put the films before the cam- 
eras Feb. 10, for April delivery to 
Official Films, which will syndi- 
cate the series here. Schedule calls 
for 39 half-hour films. 

Panda will base at the Nettleford 
Studios near London, with about 
60^0 location shooting slated for 
Sherwood Forest and the town of 
Nottingham, where the Robin Hood 
legends took place. Entire series 
is being financed by British sources, 
with Official supplying American 
dollars to pay off American person- 
nel. Final details were set by Offi- 
cial prexy Hal Hackett on his trip 
to London a couple of weeks ago. 

"Robin Hood," which reflects a 
yen for costume dramas on the part 
of Official, is the second series to 
be produced by Official by Panda. 
First was the Boris Karloff starrer, 
"Colonel March of Scotland Yard," 
of which 39 have been completed. 


•4- New York’s status as a telefilm 
production centre appears in store 
for an upswing in 1955. Fact that 
the "let’s-go-to-film" swing among 
the major tv comics coincides with 
a reluctance by the comedians to 
leave New York is one factor^ 
Jackie Gleason’s "The Honey- 
mooners" is slated for Gotham- 
based lensing, for example. A 
second and more imposing reason 
1 is the increase of program-filming 
facilities in Gotham. 

Aside from the Gleason films, 
"Norby," the David Wayne starrer 
which bowed last week for East- 
man Kodak, is shooting In Gotham 
at the Fox Movietone studios and 
on location in Westchester. Wil- 
liam Esty agency has been an avid 
user of the Bronx’s Bedford Park 
studios, with "Man Against Crime" 
and then some of the new "Tha 
Hunter” episodes. Marion Par- 
sonnet’s Long Island City lot has 
[ been kept fairly busy, first via his 
! ow n "The Visitor” and "Top 
I Secret," and by leasing producing 
organizations like Cornwall Pro- 
ductions, which shot "Janet Dean" 
there. 

Hy Brown, who shot "Inner 
Sanctum” at Fox, is now in busi- 
j ness at the old Warner’s studio in 
| Brooklyn with his earmarked-for- 
, syndication "His Honor, Homer 
Bell." But Brown has a two-year 
lease on the property, and with no 
announced plans for another series, 
would surprise no one if he sublet 
the lot to another producing out- 
| fit. The newly-established Bilt- 
more Studios down near Greenw ich 
Village have of late housed the 
Guy Lombardo vidpixer for MCA- 
TV and "It’s Fun to Reduce" for 
Guild. 


Latter, incidentally, has some 
fancy production plans for New 
York, with the Norman Vincent 
Peale and "Bride and Groom" 
series also slated for Gotham berth- 
ing. Most important Guild entry 
for New York shooting, however, 
(Continued on page 49) 


Critics Acclaim Pathecolor as Tops for TV 


r> W BY _ -^a 


c/flike color 



in every scene 


ro cv 


The New York Times 

by 


JACK GOULD 


. . .“Norby" is sponsored by 
the East man Kodak Company, 
w hich made the color film used 
in shooting the series. The 
quality of color was very good. 
The picture on black-and- 
white TV sets also was gener- 
ally superior to that received 
when monochrome film is used. 
This situation is just the re- 
verse of that existing with live 
color TV, which often degrades 
the black-and-white picture. 
Color TV could be one more 
argument for “going film." 


New York Daily News 
by 

BEN GROSS 


First Weekly Color Film 
Series ...the first weekly dra- 
matic TV scries to be filmed 
entirely in color, “Norby," 
made its bow r on Channel 4 at 
7 last evening. . . .The beauties 
of color do enhance the appeal 
of this small town situation 
comedy series. 


New York Journal-American 
by 

JACK O'BRIAN 


... He is a young-man-on-his - 
way at the bank in Pearl River, 
N. Y., where parenthetically 
the TV action literally was 

filmed — in very attractive 

« 

color. 


Eastman picks Color 

by Eathe 


LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT was the premiere NBC 
telecast for both Eastman Kodak and “Norby”. Pathe 
feels very honored that Eastman Kodak, the leader in 
film manufacturing, selected Pathecolor, the quality- 
leader in color film processing. 

CALL OR WRITE 



nme LABORATORIES, INC 


HOLLYWOOD 6823 Santa Monica Blvd. * HOIlywood 9-3961 
NEW YORK 105 East 106th Street * TRafalgar 6-1120 


GREAT MOTION PICTURES ARE PROCESSED BY 

Efi/ Cl f Laboratories, Inc. it o subsidiary of CHESAPEAKE INDUSTRIES, INC. 





48 


TV-FILMS 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


ffiRIETY - ARB City-By-City Syndicated and National Spot Film Chart 


VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na- 
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bureau 
on a monthly basis. Cities will be rotated each week , with the 10 top-rated 
film shows listed in each case , 'and their competition shown opposite. All 
ratings are furnished by ARB , based on the latest reports. 

This VARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa- 
tion about film in each market , which can be used by distributors , agencies , 
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness of a filmed 
show in the specific market. Attention should be paid to time — day and 


time factors , since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according to 
time slot , i.e, 9 a Saturday afternoon children’s show , with a low rating , may 
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor- 
responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market. Abbre- 
viations and symbols are as follows: ( Adv ,) 9 adventure; (Ch) 9 children’s; 
(Co) 9 comedy; (Dr) 9 drama; (Doc) 9 documentary; fitful), musical; 
(Myst) 9 mystery; (Q) 9 quiz; (Sp) 9 sports; (W ) 9 western; (Wom) 9 
women’s. Numbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta- 
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are UHF. Those ad agencies listed as 
distributors rep the national spot sponsor lor i chom the film is aired. 


TOP 10 PROGRAMS 

AND TYPE 

STATION 

DISTRIB. 

DAY AND 

TIME 

NOVEMBER 

RATING 

SHARE SETS INI 

(%) USE f 

TOP COMPETING PROGRAM 
PROGRAM ST A. 

RATING 

PHILADELPHIA 

Approx . Set Count — 

1,835,000 

* 

Stations — WPTZ (3), WFIL (6), 

WCAU (10) 

1. Superman (Adv) 

. WCAU 

.... Flamingo 

. Mon. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.... .24.2 

52. 

. 46.9 

Award Theatre 


WPTZ ... 

. . .15.0 

2. Waterfront (Adv) 

. W C A U 

. . . UTP 

. Sun. 6:30-7:00 

23.3 

. 65 

. 35.8 

Janet Dean 


WFIL ... 

... 7.5 

3. Liberace (Mus) 

. WPTZ 

... Guild 

Sat. 11:00-11:30 .. 

21.0 

. . 58 

. 363 

Ford Playhouse 


WFIL ... 

... 8.7 

4. Boston Blaekie (Myst) 

.WCAU 

... Ziv 

.Tnurs. 7:00-7:30 .. 

18.3 

. . . g 53 

. 34.7 

Award Theatre 


WPTZ ... 

. . .12.9 

5. Foreign Intrigue (Adv) 

.WCAU 

.... Sheldon Reynolds 

. Sat. 7:00-7:30 

17.1 


. 35.9 

Hopalong Cassidy 


WFIL .... 

. ..11 5 

6. Annie Oakley (W) 

.WFIl 

. . CBS 

Sun. 6:00-6:30 

16.7 

. . 61 

. 27.3 

Omnibus 


WCAU . . . 

. . , 6 6 

7. Badge 714 (Myst) 

WCAU 

... NBC 

.Fri. 7:00-7:30 

15.8 

43 

. 36.6 

Award Theatre 


WPTZ ... 

. . .15.8 

Cisco Kid <W> 

WCAU 

. . . Ziv 

.Sat. 5:00-5:30 

15.8 

. ... 69 

. 23.0 

Pro-Basketball 


WPTZ ... 

... 5.0 

9. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

WCAU 

... Ziv .' 

.Wed. 7:00-7:30 ... 

14.6 

.... 36 

. 40.2 

Award Theatre 


WPTZ ... 

. . .17 7 

10. Death Valley Days (W) 

.WCAU 

. . . . MeCann-Erickson . 

Thurs. 10:30-11:00 

13.7 

. . . . 39 

. 35 4 

Mvsterv Hour 


WPTZ . 

.. . .11.5 






• V. " 




N* 


DETROIT 

Approx. Set Count — 

1,290,000 

.Stations — WJBK (2), WWJ (4), WXYZ (7) 

, CKLW (9) 

1. Wild Bill Hiokok (W) 

WXYZ 

.... Flamingo 

. Mon. 6:30-7:00 ... 

28.4. . . . 

.... 79 

m 

. 35.8 

U of M Football .... 


WWJ 

. ... 3.1 

2. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. WWJ 

. . . . NBC 

. Sun. 7:00-7:30 

28.1 .... 

.... 51 

. 55.5 

You Asked for It . . . 


WXYZ . . . 

18.6 

3. Superman (Adv) 

WXYZ 

... Flamingo 

. Wed. 6:30-7:00 . . . 

27.1.... 

.... 86 

. 31.6 

Telephone Story Book 


WWJ .. . . 

. . . . 2.5 








Playhouse 15 


WWJ .... 

2 9 

4. Cisco Kid (W) 

WXYZ 

.... Ziv 

. Thurs. 6:30-7.00 .. 

27.0. . . . 

. . 63 

. 42 6 

Liberace 


WWJ .... 

. . . .14.1 

5. Amos *n’ Andy (Com) 

. WWJ 

... CBS 

.Wed. 7:00-7:30 ... 

24.1. . . . 

.... 55 *. . . 

. 43? 

Kukla, Fran & Ollie 

. ... \ 

WXYZ ... 

. . . .11.4 








Detroit Deadline; Weather WXYZ ... 

. ... 7.1 

6. Stories of the Century (Dr) . 

WXYZ 

.... HTS 

. Sun. 6:00-6:30 . . . 

19.5. . . . 

... 53 

. 36.8 

Meet Corliss Archer. 


WWJ .... 

. . ..10 2 

Abbott and Costello (Com) . . 

CKLW 

. . MCA 

.Thurs. 7:00-7:30 .. 

19.5 .... 

. . 40 . . . 

. 48.8 

Michigan Outdoors .. 


WWJ .... 

. . ..168 

8. Mr. District Attorney (Adv) 

.WWJ 

.... Ziv 

. Wed 10 30-11:00 . 

19.1 ... 

. 44. . 

. 43.5 

Best of Broadway 


WJBK . 

16 5 

9. Heart of the City (Dr) . • 

. WXYZ 

... UTP 

. Fri. 6:30-7:00 

188 . . 

. . . 70 

. 26.9 

Show case of Stars . . . . 


WWJ .... 

. ... 3.9 

10. Racket Squad (Myst) 

WWJ 

. . . . ABC 

. Sun. 6:30-7:00 

15.7. . . . 

.... 35 

. 44.5 

Range Riders 


CKLW’ . . . 

12.9 

WASHINGTON 

Approx. Set Count 

—625,000 

Stations- 

—WRC (4) 

, WTTG (5), WMAL 

(7) 

, WTOP (9) 

1. Superman (Adv) 

. W’RC 

.... Flamingo 

. Tues. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.... 26 6 . . 

.... 66 

. 40.** 

Foreign Intrigue . 


WTOP ... 

. ... 8 4 

2. Wild Bill llickok (W) 

. WRC 

.... Flamingo 

. Thurs. 7:00-7:30 . . 

24.7 

... 66 

. 37.3 

Meet Corliss Archer . 


WTOP ... 

4 8 

3. Ilopalong Cassidy (W) 

. WRC 

NBC 

. Wed. 7:00-7:30 ... 

.... 24 1 . . 

65 

. 37.3 

Kukla. Fran & Ollie. 


WMAL *. . 

4 9 






i 

• ‘is 


News — John Daly.. 


WMAL .. 

. ... 7.4 

4. Badge 714 (Myst) 

.WRC 

. . . . NBC 

. Fri, 7:00-7.30 

23.9 . . . . 

.... 58 

. 41.5 

Amos ’n’ Andy 


WTOP ... 

11.1 

5. Ramar of the Jungle (Adv)... 

. WTOP 

. . . . TPA 

. Sat. 6:30-7:00 .... 

18.6. :. . 

. .. 57 

. 32.5 

Frontier Marshall ... 


W’RC .... 

;... 7.6 

6. I Led Three Lives (Dr) 

.WRC 

....Ziv ....... ... .Men. 10:30-11:00 . 

18.4. . . . 

. 41 

. 44.8 

Studio One 


WTOP ... 

. . . .13.9 

7. Annie Oaklev (W) 

. WTTG 

CBS 

. Sat. 7:00-7-30 .... 

16.2 . . . 

36 . 

. 44 9 

Your Hit Parade . . . 


WRC . 

. . .15.1 

8. Cisco Kid (\V) 

. WRC 

Ziv 

. Mon. 7 00-7:30 ... 

15.9.. 

... 52 . . . 

. 30.5 

h Kukla Fran & Ollie.. 


W MAL . . 

... 6.3 








News — John Daly.. 


WMAL .. 

.... 5 8 








Janet Dean 


WTOP ... 

. ... 5.8 

9. Racket Squad (Myst) 

. WMAL 

. ... ABC 

. Tues. 8:00-8:30 

.... .12 1 

.... 20 

» 59.7 

Steve Allen 


WRC 

. . . .21 5 

10. Amos V Andy (Com) 

. WTOP 

. . CBS 

. Fri. 7:00-7:30 

11.1 

27 

. 41.5 

Badge 714 


WRC .... 

....23.9 


ATLANTA 


Approx. Set Count — 420,000 


Stations — WSB (2), WAGA (5), WLW-A (11) 


1. Superman (Adv) 

. .WSB 

. . . . Flamingo 

Wed. 7:00-7:30 . . 

40.4 . . . . 

82 

, . . . 49.2 

Bobby Dodd 

WLW-A .. 

... 46 

2. Mr. District Attorney (Adv) 

. .WSB ....... 

Ziv 

Fri. 7:00-7:30 ... 

29.9. . . 

: 79..‘. ... 

. ... 37.7 

Bobby Dodd 

WLW’-A . . 

. ... 4.6 

3. Racket Squad (Myst) 

. . W SB 

ABC 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 .; 

25.5 . . . 

. . 53 

... 48.0 

You Asked for It . . . 

WLW-A 

. . .16.5 

4. Kit Carson (W) 

. .WLW-A 

MCA 

.. Sun. 6:00-6:30 .. 

23.7... 

... 54 

. ... 44.2 

Meet the Press ... 

WSB . 

. . .11.4 

5. Favorite Story (Dr) 

. . W’AGA .... 

Ziv 

. . Tues. 7:00-7:30 .. 

..... .21.1. . . 

. . . . 53 . . . 

... 40.1 

Cartoon Carnival... 

WLW-A . 

. . .10.6 

6. Liberace (Mus) 

. .WLW’-A 


. . Mon. 8:00-8:30 .. 

20.2 . . . 

. 29 

. . . 69.5 

Burns and Allen . . 

WAGA . 

. . .31.1 

7. Annie Oakley (\V) 

.WSB 

. . CBS 

Sat. 6:00-6:30 ... 

20.1 . . . 

... 71 ... 

. . 28.2 

Lucky 11 Ranch . . . . 

WLW’-A 

... 4 8 

8. Wild Bill Hockok (W) 

. . WLW’-A ... 


. Thurs. 7:30-8:00 . 

16.5 . . . 

.. 35 

..." 47.5 

Dinah Shore 

WSB . 

. . .21.1 







• 

News Caravan . . 

W’SB 

. . .20.7 

9. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. . WLW’-A 

NBC 

Wed. 9:30-10:00 . 

15.4 . . 

24 

... 63.7 

I've Got a Secret . . 

WAGA . 

. . 32.7 

10. Ramar of the Jungle (Adv) . 

. WSB 

TPA 

Sun. 4:00-4:30 . . . 

14 4. . . 

51 

... 28.3 

Football 


... 8.1 


DAYTON 


Approx. Set Count - 

-320,000 



Stations— WLW-D (2), WHIO (7) 

1. Badge 714 (Myst): 

. .WLW-D 

NBC 

Sun. 7:00-7:30 

35.1 

.... 67.. 

52.4 

[Life Begins at 80 

.WHIO 

. . 7.6 

2. Kit Carson (W> 

. WLW-D 

MCA 

. Sun. 6:00-6:30 

30.2 

.... 64.. 

47.0 

(Masquerade Party 

.WHIO 

. .11.7 

3. Superman (Adv) 

..WLW-D 

Flamingo 

Mon. 6:00-6:30 . . 

27.8 

89.. 

...... 31.1 

1 Family Life 

WHIO 

. . 2.5 

4. Range Rider (W) 

. WLW-D 

CBS 

Tues. 6:00-6:30 .. 

24.3 

93 . 

26.2 

J Sports Report 

Cartoons; Ohio Story . . . 

.WHIO 

.WHIO 

. . 0.6 

. . 0.6 

5. I Led T hree Lives (Dr) 

. . WHIO. . 

Ziv 

Tues. 9:00-9:30 . . . 

22.5 

.... 37.. 

60.8 

I Fireside Theatre 

.WLW-D 

. .33.2 

6. Liberace (Mus) 

. .WHIO. . 

Guild 

Thurs. 7:30-8:00 .. 

20.8 

.... 38.. 

54.2 

Dinah Shore 

1 News Caravan 

.WLW-D . . . 
.WLW-D ...... 

.24.4 
. .20.3 

7. Racket Squad (Myst) 

..WHIO . 

ABC 

Tues. 7:00-7:30 ... 

20.7 

. . . . 61... 

33.8 

Ray Bolger 

.WLW-D . .. 

. .11.0 

Wild Bill Hickok (W) 

. WLW-D 

Flamingo 

W’ed. 6:00-6:30 . . . 

20.7 

. ... 72... 

28.9 

Barker Bill's Cartoons 

Don’s House 

.WHIO 

WHIO 

.. 5.4 
.. 3.5 

9. Ramar of the Jungle (Adv) 

. WLW-D 

TPA 

Fri. 6:00-6:30 .... 

18.3 

. ... 79... 

23.2 

Barker Bill's Cartoons 

Ohio State; Weather 

.WHIO 

.WHIO 

.. 5.7 
. . 2.5 

10. Waterfront (Adv) 

..W’HIO . 

UTP 

Sat. 7:00-7:30 

17.3 

. . . . 36 . . 


Midwestern Hayride 

. WLW-D .... 

.28 8 

SACRAMENTO 


Approx. Set Count — 115,000 

: * ‘ 

- 

c . KCCC (40), KRON (4), KPIX 
Stations KGO (7). KOYR (13) 

(5), 


1. Waterfront (Adv) 

KCCC 

UTP 


30.8 

43 

... 71.1 

Shower of Stars 

. . KPIX . 

. . . .22.2 

Star and the Story (Dr) 

KCCC 

Official 

Sat. 10:00-10:30 . . . 

30.8 

58 

. . . 53.2 

Star and the Story 

..KPIX . 

. . 9 6 

3. Cisco Kid <W) 

.KCCC. . . . 

Ziv 

Mon. 7:30-8.00 

28.4 

45 

62.9 

Studio One 

. . KPIX . 

12.8 

4. Badge 714 (Myst) 

. KCCC .... 

. NBC 

. Sun. 9:30-10:00 . . 

28.2 

46 . . . 

61 8 

I.ihprarp 

KPIX 

. . .15 9 

5. Annie Oaklev (W) 

.KCCC . . . 

. CBS 

. Mon. 7:00-7:30 . 

26.3. . 

42. . 

62 2 

SfiiHin Onp 

KPIX 

. . .11.4 

6. City Detective (Myst) 

KCCC... 


. Tues. 9:00-9:30 

. . 25 1 . 

39 

36 

39 

. . 65.1 
. . 67.9 
60 9 


K RDM 

12.0 

7. Files of Jeffrey Jones (Myst). 

8. Liberace (Mus) 

KCCC 
KCCC . . 

... CBS 

... Guild 

.. .Mon. 8:30-9:00 
.Thurs. 7:30-8:00 . 

24.5 

23.5. . 

Godfrey’s Talent Scouts . . 

..KPIX . 
KGO 

12.9 

. . 15.3 

9. Badge 714 (Myst) 

KPIX 

NBC 

... Wed. 9:00-9:30 .... 

22.8 

31 

64.1 

Favorite Story 

• • IVVJIvf • • 

..KCCC . 

. /. . . .16.1 

10. Range Rider (W) 

KCCC 

CBS 


22.4 *. . . 

44 

. ... 51.4 

My Little Margie 

Kraft TV Theatre 

..KCCC . 
..KGO .. 

16.1 

7.3 



W v<!nnnlay, January 12, 1955 


TV-FII3IS 


49 


Inside Stuff — Telepix 

Guild Films held its annual stockholders’ meeting over the week- 
end' in Denver, probably the last it will hold there in light of the 
»k! that it's become a publicly-owned corporation since its last an- 
nual meeting. Controlling group expanded the firm's board of di- 
rectors to seven members, adding v.p.-treasurer Aaron Katz to the 
board, as well as Jullen Keilus, a New York jeweler who owns a large 
block of stock. 

Other board members reelected were prexy Reub Kaufman; secre- 
tary Jane Kaufman; stock broker David Van Alstyne < Van Alstvne & 
Noel!; John E. Fetzer, head of the Fetzer stations and board chairman 
ol Vitapix Corp.; and broadcaster William E. Walker, one of the origi- 
nal private stockholders in Guild. Kaufman, who planed out to Denver 
fm- the meeting, goes from there to the Coast for a week’s stay to 
o o production and facilities for new Guild program properties. 


Frank Parker. Sleekier 
., Prep 26 Color Films 
In New Video Venture 

Singer Frank Parker and pro- 
ducer Roy P. Steckier, who a few 
weeks ago set plans to shoot three 
or four telefilms as the basis of an 
inspirational series, have secured 
financing and are now preparing to 
: shoot all 26 color films of the un- 
titled package. They’ve already 


Ziv’s Big Sales Splash Via Coke s 
Canada Cantor Buy, D.A.’ Renewal 


t'BS-TV is establishing a liaison office at New York headquarters 
for its “You Are There” series, which is now a telepix skein. Actual 

production is out of Hollywood under William Dozier, although the ‘ *>’ starting ^hooting. 


Ziv Television Programs con- 
tinued its breakneck sales pace last 
week despite relatively slow busi- 
ness in t lie syndication trade by 
consummating two big regional 
deals, setting its Eddie Cantor se- 

signed all the story properties for I vea r N.~ Y video station WPlX ries w ' ,b Coca-Cola Bottling of 
the series, including stories by Ful- ; upped the Liberate vidpix skein ^ anad ? in all Canuck markets and 
ton Oursler, Christopher Morley, £rP m one nighttime exposure a renew «ng C arter Products tojts 40- 
James Street and Hay Bradbury, i wee |j jq via afternoon and eve-, 


LIBERACES 30-SPOT 
SRO STATUS ON WPIX 

In middle September of last 
year. N. Y. video station WPIX 


market sponsorship of "Mr. District 
and are now dickering sponsorship I ninV slrips * And now the'show is I Attorney ” for » second year. Car- 
and syndication deals before actual- pro b a bi v the first of any ccllu- d™l insures production of* 


lust few half-hour shows were filmed in N. Y. 

Staffing the Gotham office will be Elizabeth Bullock and Jane Swan. 
Aliss Bullock will be the contact between the Coast unit and N. Y.-based 
seripters who've been working on the series. Miss Swan will serve as 
liaison between Hollywood and a number of research sources available 
only in N. Y. 

First telefilm distributor to hire a publicist who’ll be permanently on 
the road is Screen Gems, which last week signed Don Garrett, formerly 
with the Dave Alber flackery, as its “advance man." For the moment, 
however, Garrett won’t be in advance of anything, concentrating his 
out-of-town efforts on existing Screen Gems properties. Future plans, 
however, call for Garrett to schedule his tours simultaneously with 
the openings of new Screen Gems properties when aired on a spot 
basis. For example, Anheuser-Busch, which has bought “Damon 
Runyon Theatre,” may schedule the show on a spot basis, in which 
case Garrett would concentrate his efforts in each city just prior to 
the show's preein in that city. Right now, however, he’ll be per- 
manently on the road contacting radio-tv editors of newspapers and 
mags in the hinterlands, reporting in only occasionally to promotion 
chief Eli Harris and publicity topper Frank Young. Other vidpix out- 
tits have sent flacks on the road in the past, but not as a steady diet. 


probably 

loider with such intense satura- 


Parker and Steckier also signed • tion to have achieved SRO status. 


new cycle of "Mr. D.A.” films, 
I which stars this week at Ziv’s new’- 


playwright Alexander Greendalc to | Last week, the last of eight bank- j ^Xl'an in “e lead"""’ 


with 


adapt the teleplays from the stories, j rollers signed on with WPIX to 


! and have several treatments set al- 
ready. Shooting will be on the 
i Coast, in color, at a studio which 


cover all of the 30 Liberate spots 
available weekly (with cross-the- 
boardings at 2:30 p.m. and again 


they’ll select once they have a j at 630 P . m .>. The station runs 

through 10 different segments of 
the quarter-hour Guild package 
each week. 


, deal either for sponsorship or 
i syndication. It’s their first tele- 
pix venture — Parker has worked 
as performer (presently on the 
Arthur Godfrey shows) and dto- 
ducer and director, while Stecxler 
has operated as a legit producer, 
i Steckier, however, is also vicepres- 
; ident of Ilea Productions, w hich is 
shooting “And It Came to Pass," 
• a historical-archeological series 
which Official Films may dis- 
tribute. 


Looks as though the “Gangbusters” vidfilm series may be kept off 
the market for as much as two years, certainly no less than a year. 
The General Teleradio package was originally slated for Xmas ’55, 
but most recent info makes clear that the firm won’t start tv distribu- 
tion until the feature film version of the cop-robber story runs itself 
down. A company spokesman said that might run through ’56. (The- 
atrical release is Jan. 20). 

GT has stopped production of the tv skein at 13, w ith no immediate 
plans for any more until the theatrical pattern establishes itself. 


Balaban 


Continued from page 47 


20th Converting 
Lot Into Telepix 
Center; Eases Jam 


Coke’s Canada buy, set via the 
D’Arcy agency and All-Canada 
Television Facilities, involves 19 
new markets and brings the total 
number of markets in which the 
Cantor show has been set up to 
155. Other new Cantor sponsdrs 
include the Ford Dealers of Texas, 
who signed for eight Lone Star 
markets, including Dallas-Ft. 
Worth; Continental Oil for three 
northwest markets; Sego Milk in 
four northwest markets; Purity Bis- 
Jcuit in the northwest; and Jax 
Beer in the south in half-a-dozen 
; cities. 

Carter’s “D.A.” renewal is ef- 
fective April 1, and involves at 
least 15 major market situations, 
plus the minor markets which 
1 make up the total of 40. Ziv now 
will begin its sales campaign on 


New Vidpix Shows 


THIS IS YOUR MUSIC 
With Byron Palmer, Joan Weldon. 
David IJchtne, Jana Ecfclund, 
Rita Walsh, Betty Wand. Soaie 
Boree, Mary Margaret Gelder, 
Pied Pipers, others; music, 
Nelson Riddle; choreography, 
Llchlne 

Producer-director: Jack Denove 
26 half-houra 
Dlstrib: Official Films 

Jack Denove has achieved the 
distinction of cresting a class musi- 
cal stanza on a relatively low 
budget with “This Is Your Music." 
Wonder of it is that after signing 
Pacific Telephone as sponsor on 
the Coast, he couldn't sell the rest 
of the country’ on large regionals 
and had to turn it over for syndica- 
tion via Official Films. For this 
i* a surefire vehicle for any type 
of sponsor, be it Institutional, hard 
sell or any other. 

Each stanza in the series deals 
v ilh a category of tunes, sung and 
danced In wonderful style by a 
vast headed by Byron Palmer, Joan 
Weldon and David Llchfcne. Two 
segments caught, for example, 
dealt with tunes adapted from the 
classics and with Oscar-winning 
songs. Production is - topflight in 
e\ ery department, and has the un- 
common virtue of stylized simplic- 
ity. 

One could call the segment a 
filmed version of "Hit Parade," 
especially in light of Jack Denove’s 
Past association with the latter, 
but it’s got far more in terms of 
"i.vle and class, which is saying 
* lot. Denove, it appears, has 
found at least part of the answer 
to the perplexing t problem of how 
to keep the budget down for filmed 
shows via the use of simple ^Jt 
effective settings and lighting as 
backgrounds for straight versions 
t»t top tunes. With production 
designer Ernst Fetge, he’s created 
J fifthly stylized series of settings 
for the songs that retain the sim- 
plicity so much needed for the 
small tv screen, ’ and stager-cho- 
reographer Lichine has left the 
fiction simple, allowing the songs 
to speak for themselves. 

On top of this is a fine young 
cast. Palmer, a goodlooking he- 
man type who also serves on occa- 
f* on as narrator, has a big boom- 
j n g voice with which he handles 
both ballads and rhythm numbers 
V . equal authority; Miss Wel- 
don s a pretty lass with a fine voice 
" it. Lichine’s dancing is 

‘P*. both in the modern and cias- 

u vei «’ and he ’ s ald «d b >* Rita 

aish, s uz |e Boree and Marv 
Margaret Gelder, with Miss Walsh 
1° ln the song depart- 

!} en J; Pi * d Pipers and the rest 
the ensemble provide good 
v \ ork - Nelson Riddle’s 

Ui*»m Stratl0 L S an( * execution of 
1 are about the best heard on 


any musical stanza, network or 
syndicated, and everything else 
about the show spells quality, from 
the excellent soundtrack to the 
distinctive photography. Chan. 


10 More Features 
For Gen. Teleradio 


General Teleradio just bought 
ten feature films from Moulin Pro- 
ductions at a price quoted in ex- 
cess of $500,000. Finn’s Intention 
is to build a second features-for- 
vldeo package in addition to the 
Bank of America 30. 

Price on each pic is nearly $10,000 
in excess of those acquired in the 
Bank deal. GT feels that price on 
pix, not quite as new as the 30 
films, reached new high because 
of heavy competition for their pur- 
chase from Moulin. Seven of the 
features, ranging in age six to 11 
years old, will be available to GT 
on Nov. 1. ’55, and there others, of 
’49 and *50 vintage, will be okay 
for tv on Sept. 1, ’56. 



New York 

Bobby Conn moving from Offi- 
cial Films’ New York homeoffice 
to Philadelphia, where he’ll open 
a new office for th* distrib outfit, 
while Phil Mergener, formerly 
with MCA-TV. joins Official as 
head of its Chi office, succeeding 
A1 Morey, who left for Kling Stu- 
dios. Official also added Bill Corn- 
ish, formerly with Petry and Du- 
Mont. as its N.Y. agency contact 
...Don Garrett, for the past cou- 
ple of j’ears with the Dave Alber 
flackery, moved over to Screen 
Gems as a publicist fn an “ad- 
vance man” operation ... Flamingo 
Films added a couple of salesmen 
last week — Charles McGregor, for- 
merly with Bourne Music, moves 
into the Chi office, while Bill Mc- 
Donald will work the southern ter- 
ritory ..Mickey Freeman into the 
CBS Phil Silvers show, currently 
in production. 

David N. Laux, former account 
exec at Ruthrauff A Ryan, one- 
time v.p.-ad director of Macfadden 
Publications and publisher of 
Sports Afield, joined Studio Films 
as a v.p. . . . Conatance Clauaen 
completed a commercial film for 
! Continental Raking . . Charlea 

Adam*, production head of films 
for television at Lourks k, Norling 
Studios, got v.p. stripes. 


former exec v.p., has joined Fla- 
mingo to handle the package. 

Arrangement for the 13 theatri- 
cals has met with the approval of 
! the stations carrying the films, 
I about half of w’hich have sched- 
uled them as one-hour programs 
rather than as features. Flamingo, 
incidentally, will sell the package 
both w’avs — as programs and as a 
feature group, depending on the 
individual market situation. 

List of Availabilities 

Films, which include two Colum- 
bia releases, two 20th-Fox releases 
and one RKO release, are: “Reck- 
less Moment." starring James 
Mason, Joan Bennett and Geral- 
dine Brooks <Col), 1949); “The Sun- 
downers," Robert Preston, Robert 
Sterling, John Barrymore Jr. 
(Eagle-Lion, 1950); “The Torch," 
Paulette Gwldard, Gilbert Roland 
(E-L, 1950); "I Love Trouble," 
Franchot Tone, Janet Blair (Col, 
1947); "Journey Into Light,” 
Thomas Mitchell. Sterling Hayden, 
Viveca Lindfors < 20th, 1951 ) ; “The 
Capture,” .Lew Ayres, . Theresa 
Wright (RKO. 1950); “High Lone- 
some,” John Barrymore Jr„ Chill 
Wills (UA, 1950); “Japanese War 
Bride,” Don Taylor, Cameron Mit- 
chell (20th. T952); “The Great 
Rupert," Jimmy .Durante, Terry 
Moore, Tom Drake (E-L, 1950); 
"Nanook of the North,” Robert 
Flaherty’s documentary (1939); 
"Shadow of a Man” (1954 >; "Tri- 
umph of Sherlock Holmes" (Brit- 
ish, 1938), and “Sherlock Holmes 
and the Silver Blaze” (British, 
1937).. 

Films were licensed by Princess 
for television under nine separate 
j longterm deals with the original 
; producers or owners or banks 
which had foreclosed on the pix. In 
cases where a major film company 
had released the pic, Princess got 
them to agree to allow the films to 
be shown on television. However, 
none of the majors were otherwise 


Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Twentieth-Fox is setting up a 
subsidiary for the production of Mother regional and local clients for 
television films and will convert its second-year renewals. Aside from 
Western Ave. lot, lofig used for l and the Cantor sales campaign, 
overflow production, for its base. ! d s readying its sales push on its 
In addition to using plant, which »*** Property, Ivan Tors' sci- 
eastern syndicates have tried to | service which is currently 

buy for tv production, 20th will , * n production on the Coast. 

offer its facilities to outside pro- j " 

ducers. Two advertising agencies > 
already have applied for space and , 
terms for their own projects. ' 

Sid Rogell, ‘executive in charge { 
of production at 2Qth’s Beverly 
Hills studio, bus been handed su- 
pervision of the new undertaking, 
similar to Columbia’s Screen Gems, 

Lot has 10 stages and a large thea- 
tre for audience shows, and will 
ease the current space problem for 
telepix producers. Establishment of 
lot as a tv center also is expected 
to bring tv producers from the east. 

Numerous shows now are tele- 
vised live because there hasn't 
been 4he stage space available for 
filming them. Now that the sale of 


GT Station Lineup 
For Lewis' Vidpix 

General Teleradio so far has 11 
stations pacted firmly to contracts 
for the 15-minute once-weekiy 
Fulton Lewis “Exclusive” vidfilm 
series. Firm, having this stanza 
only on the active production list 
and realizing that there will be no 
residuals to help build profits, is 
pressing hard to bring more sta- 

th* Samuel Goldwyn Mudlo also | H“*.. in '° f°' d > h « 

has been ordered, ft appears that { j av '. ,ar ). nK date 

space will be opening dp for tv L*£ d Ho "* v * r ’ Pros- 

production. arf fa,r< wlth * **ven-station 

20th-Fox'also will make available | "5 ion “J '***], n ? w J n ne*oUation 

to tv producers footage from Its 1 “I"*®. of 

film library. 1 other stations "on the brink * 


GUILD SHIFTS TO 
COAST ON ‘REDUCE’ 


of 

parting before launching time. 

“Exclusive” has Lewis committed 
to traveling for each of the shows, 
because the gabber is deviating 
from his previous radio and vidpix 
v. , - ,, i format ot commentating on ths 

«i m in^« tsbu lr g i^ jl,n ' V’l news * nd 9Wit ching strictly to on- 
After filming five of the new tele- the-spot reporting, according to GT 

pix series ’Its Fun to Reduce,” veep Dwight Martin. As a matter 
which started locally as a live of fact. Martin said Lewis will be 
cross-the-board program more than ; on screen only a few times during 
• **°' Gu * ld Films Has de- the course of each pic. He exam- 

eided to shoot the remainder of pled Lewis’ firat two shows, shot 
them In Hollywood As a result. over the Xmas holiday. One was 
Margaret Firth, who heads the lensed on Formosa (featuring an 
show; her model and assistant, interview by Lewis with Generalls- 
Marlene Gornall, and Johnny Mit- s i mo Chiang Kai-Shek) and the 
chelh organist, have departed lor second on Quemoy (Nationalist Is- 
the Coast to shoot at east 60 more land closest to the Chinese main- 
quarter-hours. They 11 be gone at land), 
least until the middle of February. : Wi ‘,. 

•uild had to wait to get into real W ,,h r «* rd to 0,h " GT 


involved in the deal. 

Princess’ venture into filming j . _ . , 

features for television marked a Go * on WDTV. That wound up 


production until "Rescue" finished 
its contract here with G. C. Mur- 


video “first.” Those first 13. pro- 


Dec. 31 and Miss Firth, Miss Gor- 


Princess deal was his inability to 
hold some of them out for theatri- 
cal release. He said he had re- 
leasing offers from major compa- 
nies for five of the original 13. 


Gotham Upswing 


duced mostly on Nation. ^ departed the next 

edly were budgeted at about $40 ,- 1 da ^ * or H°RJ wood * 

000, which is the equivalent of 
what most distributors are paying, 
for top features anyway. Balaban, 
who figures he’ll have the next 13 
ready for delivery in about 15 
months, said one mistake in hisi i* 


— Continued fro.'* pace 47 
‘The Goldbergs." with 


the 


studio site as >et unselected. 

CBS-TV has been using Gotham 
outlets for some of its pilot 
projects. It’s projected Phil Sil- 
vers situation comedy is shooting 


Next package, he said, w hich will | at the DuMont studios, via a con- 


cost about $30-40.000 each, will be 
so set up that he can pull one or 
two of them out for theatrical re- 
lease if they’re good enough. Other 
factor was a question of time, and 
Baiaban’s next cycle will be so 
! planned that he won’t have to 
make deliveries until he’s finished 
1 seven of the films. He said rlamin- 
j go would probably distrib those 13 
, too. giving It a complete package 
j of 39. 


verted-into-film setup, as is (until 
it moves to the Coast) “You Are 
There” in its turn to celluloid. 

Still something of unknown ! 
quantities are two new studio set- l] 
ups. Filmways’ new Cinema Sound- 
stage Corp. setup in the East 90’s, 
which opens this month and is said 
to be an okay site for program pro- 
duction, and the refurbished Vita- 1 
phone setup in the Bforix, which is 
Atill largely inactive. I 


ven- 
tures, the 30 Bank of America fea- 
ture films have hit 75 markets so 
far, and the 15-minute “Greatest 
Drama’’ series is in 7 ) markets, 

BUTTERFIELD TO INFO FILMS 

Alfred Butterfield has resigned 
his post as public affairs executive 
producer at CBS to rejoin Infor- 
mation Films, the N. Y. producer 
of public relations films and com- 
mercials, as chairman and treas- 
urer. 

Butterfield, onetime editor-in- 
chief of Pathe News and associate 
editor of Life, left the producing 
firm in November of 1953 to join 
CBS. He held the same posts at 
Information at the time of his de- 
parture. 


RKCOR DID 
BACKGROUND 


USIC 


for dabbiaf T-V FILMS 

Sang far CmtmUg mnd Mmft 

■MIL ASCHKR, INC. (L S-)lf4 


74$ FIFTH AVL 


NIW YORK 



50 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Jocks , Jukes and Disks 


.By HERM SCHOENFELD. 




Perry ( omo: “Kokomo"-“You’ll 
Always Be My Lifetime Sweet- 
heart” 'Victor . Having mopped up 
on the mambo cycle with ' Papa 
Loves Mambo.” Perry Como is now 
tacking with the prevailing pop 
winds and has come up with a 
rhythm & blues number, “Koko- 
mo.” that's likely to strike it big. 
This is a typical bounce number 
which »as launched on an indie 
label and is now getting wide cov- 
erage from the majors. Como’s 
slice should be among the front- 
runners. The Crew Cuts’ slice for 
Mercury will also give this number 
impetus while the Bill Darnel- 
Betty Clooney version for Label 
may be the dark horse entry, since 
this side has an “authentic” r&b 
quality. The Hutton Sisters have 
aKo cut a good version for Capitol. 
On the Victor flip. Como reverts 
to Ins more relaxed style of bal- 


tango-styled number in “Blue 
Mirage” that could reestablish him 
on the hit lists. Lombardo gives it 
a nicely embroidered instrumental 
workover with a wordless choral 
accompaniment woven into the tex- 
ture. Flip is a pleasing version of 
the old folk tune. 

Doris Day: “Till My Love Comes 
to Me "-“There's a Rising Moon” 
• Columbia*. Miss Day will have a 
tough time breaking through witn 
this coupling. “Till My Love” is 
a slow-tempoed ballad with lyrics 
that are perhaps too “poetic” for 
the pop market. Miss Day helps 
with her lucid phrasing. “Rising 
Moon” is another class ballad with 
a simpler idea which Miss Day- 
handles expertly. 

Stan Getz Quintet: “You Turned 
the Tables on Me"-“Body and 
Soul” <Norgran'. In the modern 
jazz idiom. Stan Getz’s tenor sax is 



Album Reviews 


Best Bets 


LAWRENCE WELK 

and his 

CHAMPAGNE MUSIC 
174th Consecutive Week, Aragon 
Ball room, Santa Monica, Calif. 
Exclusively on Coral Records 
Latest Album 
VIENNESE WALTZES 
(For Dancing) 


Eddy Arnold: An American In- 
stitution (Victor*. Marking 10 
years that Ecldp Arnold has been 
w ith Victor, this set has been ap- 
propriately titled and packaged in 
de luxe style with a picture biog , 
of the singer. In the last decade. ' 
Arnold has emerged as one 
of the top exponents of the 
country idiom and occasionally | 
has even clicked in the pop 
field. Although a git-tar strum- 1 
ming crooner, Arnold’s style is 
slightly more sophisticated than 
some top country singers and his | 
easy manner, which facilitates h*s ! 
entry’ into the pop market, is well ; 
illustrated in this package. Set in- ! 
eludes 10 top country tunes of the 
past 10 years, none of which ; 
Arnold cut at the time. Repertory 
includes “Shame On You.” “Some- ! 
day.” “So .Round. So Firm. So 
Fully Packed.” “You Can't Be 
True. Dear.” “I Love You So Much 
It Hurts.” “Tennessee Waltz.” 
“Cold. Cold Heart.” “Slow Poke.” 
“A Fool Such As I” and “I Don't 
Hurt Anymore.” 


Belamonte Orch: “Mambo At 
Midnight” (Columbia*. Belamonte 
has taken a flock of standards and 
given them the kind of chile fla- 
vor that fits right into the mambo 
platter vogue. Orch has a lot of 
drive and color and makes each of 
the 12 tunes an item for listening 
or terping In the 12-inch LP are 
such standouts as “Sophisticated 
Lady.*’ “Stompin’ At The Savoy” 
and “Caravan.” 

World Symphony Orch: “Musical 

Notes From A Tourist’s Sketch- 
book” (Request). This is a musical 
portrait with a U.N. flavor penned 
by Hans Lengsfelder. All the 
pieces in this 12-inc.h LP are ligi.t 
and invigorating and excellently 
suited to late-hour deejay pro- 
gramming. 

Milt Okun: “Jack Was Everv 
Inch A Sailor” (Stinson*. The folk 
tune cultists should go for this 10- 
inch LP set. Milt Okun handles 
the obscure Forecastle Songs and 
Shanties with authority. He’s col- 
lected 15 items for this package 
and all are winners. 


PF.RRY COMO KOKOMO 

(RCA Victor* My Lifetime Sweetheart 

MAHALIA JACKSON A RUSTY OLD HALO 

(Columbia* The Treasures of Lore 


ladcering and does a neat job on 
“Lifetime Sweetheart ” 

Mahalia Jackson: “A Rusty Old 
Halo”-“The Treasures of Love” 
(Columbia *. One of the top prac- 
titioners in the gospel field. Ma- 
fcalia Jackson is getting a major 
sendoff on her Co umbia debut 
sides. In her most effective style. 
Miss Jackson belts “Rusty Old 
Halo” for maximum returns, han- 
dling the religious idea with the 
right kind of swinging sincerity. 
“Treasures of Love” is a good 
showcase lor Miss Jackson’s vocal- 
isthenics. 

Danny Kaye: “Manhattan Mam- 
bo’-“In My Neck of the Woods” 
(Decca*. Perhaps ‘Manhattan 
Mambo" is a bit late in the cycle, 
but it has excellent lyrics that 
Danny Kaye rolls off with verve. 
It’s one of his best sides and could 
develop into a Kaye bestseller. Flip 
is a clever number in a marching 
tempo It’s a catching piece. 

The 9 La Falce Bros.: “The 
Devil’s Highway’’-"Maria. Maria. 
Maria” (Victor*. Tire La Falce clan 
is an upstate New York singing 
ensemble who have a powerful' 
choral sound. “Devil’s Highway" is 
a dramatic opus tailorinade for 
them, and they give it an attrac- 
tive ride with important help from 
Hugo Winterhalter's superb back- 
ground. “Maria" is a pretty ballad 
that falls into the barbarshop music 
format. 

Guy Lombardo Orch: “Blue 
Mirage’-"Greensle?ves” (Decca-. 
Guy Lombardo has a firstrate 


tops and this coupling again dem- 
onstra.es why. Both on the swing 
and ballad sides, his ideas are 
fresh and attractively melodic. He 
receives solid backing from a 
rhythm quartet. 

Steve Lawrence: Kiss Me Now”- 
“How Do 1 Break Away From You" 
'Coral*. “Kiss Me Now” is another 
clever entry in the mambo sweep- 
stakes. Steve Lawrence bounces it 
lightly and brightly for fine com- 
mercial impact. Reverse is a torch 
ballad with an appealing melody. 
Lawrence gives it a strong work- 
over. 

George Liberace: “Madalena"- 
"Tne Stars and Stripes Forever" 

• Columbia*. The maestro half of 
the Liberace family is slicing fine 
orchestral sides for Columbia. 
“Madalena.” a fine Latin number 
what has never quite got off the 
ground in the country, gets a lush, 
coloriul interpretation in a double- 
quick tempo. His fiddle and brass 
arrangement of the Sousa stand- 
ard also jumps. 

Eileen Barton-Lawrence Welk: 

“The Year We Fell in Lovg"-“I 
Don t Want to Mambo Polka” 

• Coral'. "Year We Fell in Love is 
a cute piece of material that runs 
down the main events of 1954. The 
lyric frequently sparkles and 
Eileen Barion gives it an oldfash- 
ioned vaude delivery appropriate 
to the song. Flip is still another 
variation on the mambo cvcle. this 
time with a polka twist. Miss Bar- 
ton belts it. with Lawrence W elk's 
orch supplying the steady beat. 


Peatman Annual Survey of Song Hits on Radio and TV. 

The 35 souq hits with the largest radio and television audiences are listed below in order of total ACT 
points received in the ACI Surveys during 1954. ( Songs in stage or film productions are indicated. 
Songs currently active are marked with an asterisk. Songs whose activity began on the ACI Sur- 
veys during tl'.e fall of 1953 are noted by the 1953 date'. 


Total 

ACI 




Sheet Music Best Sellers of 1954 

Listed below in alphabetical order are the top 35 sheet music 
best sellers during 1954 Compilation is based on the information 
contained in Variety's weekly Retail Sheet Best Sellers charts. 

TUNE PUBLISHER 

A Girl. A Girl Valando (ASCAP) 

Answer Me, My Love Bourne <ASCAP> 

Count Your Blessings — t“White Christmas” ... Berlin 'ASCAP* 

Cross Over the Bridge 7 Laurel < ASCAP* 

Changing Partners Porgie <BMD 

Happy Wanderer Fox < ASCAP* 

Heart of My Heart Robbins <ASCAP» 

Here Hill A Range 'BMD 

Hernando’s Hideaway— •“Pajama Game” . . . Frank 'ASCAP* 
Hev There— •“Pajama Game” Frank <ASCAP» 

High and the Mighty— i“High and the Mighty” Witmark <ASCAP» 

Hold My Hand — -“Susan Slept Here” Raphael < ASCAPi 

I Need You Now Miller (ASCAP* 

If I Give My Heart to You Miller (ASCAP* 

If You Love Me (Really Love Me) Duchess 'BMD 

In the Chapel in the Moonlight Shapiro-B (ASCAP) 

Let Me Go. Lover Hill & Range 'BMI* 

Bourne (ASCAP* 

Lot Feist (ASCAP* 


Melrose (ASCAP) 
Morris (ASCAP* 


Little Shoemaker 
l ittle Things Mean 
Make Love to Me 
Mister Sandman 

Naughty Lady of Shady Lane Paxton (ASCAP* 

Oh, Babv Mine (I Get So Lonely* Melrose (ASCAP* 

Oh. My Papa . . . Shapiro-B (ASCAP* 

Papa Loves Mambo Shapiro-B * ASCAP* 

Secret Love — “Calamity Jane” Remick (ASCAP* 

Sh-Boom Hill A Range 'BMI* 

Skokiaan Shapiro-B (ASCAP) 

Stranger in Paradise — ‘“Kismet” Frank (ASCAP* 

Teach Me Tonight .Hub-Leeds 'ASCAP* 

That’s Amore — '“The Caddy” Paramount (ASCAP* 

This Ole House Hamblen (BMI) 

Three Coins in Fountain — t“Coins in Fountain” Robbins 'ASCAP* 

Wanted Witmark (ASCAP* 

Young at Heart — +“Young at Heart” Sunbeam (BMI* 


Legit Musical t Film 


Rank 

Points 

1 

44184 

2 

41009 

3 

37765 

4 

33624 

5 

33378 

6 

31018 

7 

28528 

8 

27706 

9 

27462 

10 

27404 

11 

26 93 

12 

26273 

♦3 

25660 

! 4 

2". 594 

15 

22794 

16 

22151 

17 

20225 

18 

19127 

19 

19064 

20 

18715 

21 

18709 

22 

18189 

23 

16156 

24 

16044 

25 

15024 

26 

14023 

27 

13391 

28 

13222 

29 

12939 

30 

12341 

31 

12078 

32 

11947 

33 

11815 

34 

11595 

35 

11513 


Number 
of Weeks 
lu 

Survey- 

30 
34 

31 

32 

27 
31 

28 
31 

25 
18 
34 
31 
29 

27 
22 
17 
16 
20 

26 
22 
21 
23 
12 

28 
21 
16 
13 
25 

25 
23 

26 
27 
26 
21 
19 


Song Title 


Production 


Secret Love <1953* .- 'Calamity Jane) . 

Young At Heart , • ■ 

*Hev There (Pajama Game*.. 

Stranger In Paradise (1953* (Kismet*.. 

Wanted 

Make Love To Me 

•If I Give My Heart To You 

•Hernando's Hideaway : (Pajama Game).. 

Three Coins In The Fountain ....(Three Coins In The Fountain) . 

•Count Your Blessings ...'White Christmas*.. 

Little Things Mean A Lot 

Answer Me. My Love 

Oh. Baby Mine <1 Get So Lonely* t 

High And The Mighty 'High And The Mighty) . 

•I Need You Now- 

•Papa Loves Mambo 

That’s Amore ‘1953* (The Caddy*.. 

Heart Of My Heart (1953) 

Little Shoemaker 

•This Ole House 

Oh. My Papa (1953* 

Cross Over The Bridge - 

•Mister Sandman 

Happy Wanderer 

Green Years 

Changing Partners (1953* 

•Teach Me Tonight 

•Man That Got Away ’ . . . <A Star Is Born*. . 

Sh-Boom 

Sw av . 

I I>ove Paris 0953* 'Can Can*.. 

I Speak To The Stars (Lucky Me).. 

If You Love Me 'Really Love Me* 

Man With The BSnjo 

Skokiaan 

Top Standards on Radio and TV 

The 35 standard.? trith the largest radio and television audiences are listed below in order of total 
ACT points received in the ACI Surveys during 1954. 

Number 
Total of Weeks 
ACI In 
Rank Points Survey 


Publisher 

Remick 

Sunbeam 

Frank 

Frank 

Witmark 

Melrose 

Miller 

Frank 

Robbins 

Berlin 

Feist 

Bourne 

Melrose 

Witmark 

Miller 

Shapiro-B 

Paramount 

Robbins 

Bourne 

Hamblen 

Shapiro-B 

Laurel 

Morris 

Fox 

Harms 

Porgie 

Hub-Leeds 

Harwin 

Hill & Range 

Peer 

Chappell 

Witmark 

Duchess 

Mellin 

Shapiro-B 


Song Title 

1 17396 27 Tea For Two 

2 9743 21 Just One Of Those Things 

3 8154 23 ’S Wonderful 

4 7342 6 Winter Wonderland 

5 7338 11 Happy Birthday To You 

6 7296 24 St. Louis Blues 

7 7187 6 Easter Parade 

8 6904 17 Begyi The Beguine 

9 6615 23 Tenderly 

10 6424 5 White Christmas 

11 6345 15 September Song 

12 6223 10 Birth Of The Blues 

13 6042 10 Lover 

14 5655 10 On The Sunny Side Of The Street 

15 5006 15 Blue Skies 

16 4895 9 Lullaby Of Broadw ay . ,'v 

17 4723 12 Twelfth Street Rag 

18 4527 13 That Old Black Magic 

19 4477 7 Tiger Rag 

20 4442 12 You Made Me Love You 

21 4353 10 Alexander's Ragtime Band 

22 4255 12 Summertime 

23 4091 10 Best Things In Life Are Free 

24 4071 9 From This Moment On 

25 4015 ' 7 Get Happy . 

26 3984 7 When You’re Smiling 

27 3946 7 Always 

28 3896 4 Christmas Song 

29 3861 9 This Can’t Be Love 

30 3858 7 There's No Business Like Show Business 

31 ^708 7 Bye Bye Blues 

32 3704 3 Bless This House . . . * 

33 3637 8 How High The Moon 

34 3576 8 My Funny Valentine 

35 3538 13 Almost Like Being In Love 


Publisher 

Harms 

Harms 

Harms 

BVC 

Summy 

Handy 

Berlin 

Harms 

Morris 

Berlin 

DeSylva-B&H 

Harms 

Famous 

Shapiro-B 

Berlin 

Witmark 

Shapiro-B 

Famous 

Feist 

Broadway 
Berlin 
Chappell 
DeSylva-BAH 
Chappell 
Remick 
Mills 
Berlin 
Morris 
Chappell 
Berlin 
Bourne 
Boosey 
Chappell 
Chappell 
. . . Fox 


Wedne*d*J< January 12, 1953 


MUSIC 


51 



SALES SPURT 


AFM Okays Canned Music for Vidpix :LP PRICE-CUT 

But Nixes Practice in Disk Industry 


’55 DISK BIZ 


Hollywood. Jan. 11. ♦ 

American Federation of Musi- 
cians has lifted its ban on the use 
of canned music — made abroad 
and not by AFM members— for 
vidpix but is still adamant in its 
refusal to allow disk-makers to 
follow suit. Variation in policy 
„as revealed by Ward Archer. 
Local 47’s recording rep, and Phil 
Fischer, international studio rep. 

Fischer also emphasized that while 
union will now permit vidpix pro- 
ducers to use. opehly, canned 
music made abroad on some of 
their telepix if they sign an AFM 
pact which stipulates they hire 
union musicians to do some live 
work, no union members are al- 
lowed to make canned tunes for 
vidpix. "Our members will not 
make canned music, bridges, cues 
or even themes, which can be used 
promiscuously. ’ he said. Lnion 
has not been able to curb growing 
u^e of canned music and hence 
to enable its members to get more 
jobs it has relaxed its outright 
ban. hoping to woo more live tele- 
film work for tooters. 

All disking must be done live, 
however, and no waxery is allowed 
to buv cheap canned melodies from 
abroad and weave them in around 
a singer chanting live in the U. S. 

For years the AFM prez has 
fought against the use of canned 
tracks in vidfilms. but producers 
who are using live music persuaded 
( Continued on page 56) 

JERRY THORP NAMED 
VICTOR FLACK CHIEF 

Jerry Thorp has joined RCA Vic- 
tor as director of publicity, filling 
h >pot that has been vacant since 
Warren Schwed moved hack to the 
Carl Byoir agency. Unlike Schwed, 
who remained on the Byoir pay- 
roll while operating at Victor, 
Thorp is Victor employee. The 
B>oir office will continue to direct 
public relations for RCA. 

Thorp was formerly associate 
editor of Newsweek magazine and 
Chicago publicist. Ben Kemper 
and Ann Fulchino, who have been 
handling publicity work for Victor 
since Schwed's exit, will now work 
Under Thorp. 


‘JATP’ Invading Europe 
For 4th Consec Time 

Norman Granz takes his "Jazz at 
the Philharmonic" troupe to Eu- 
rope next month for its fourth 
consecutive year. "JATP" is set 
to kick off the trek in Stockholm 
Feb. 7 with a two-nite stand. Other 
cities already lined up are Copen- 
hagen. Berlin. Frankfurt, Munich, 
Stuttgart, Zurich, Geneva and 
Paris. 

Ella Fitzgerald headlines the 
package, which features the Oscar 
Peterson Trio, Dizzy Gillespie, 
Buddy De Franco and Louis Bell- 
son. Miss Fitzgerald and the 
Peterson group will separate from 
the unit Feb. 22 for a special tour 
of England, teeing off at London's 
Albeit Hall. 


All In the Family 

Rosemary Clooney is keep- 
ing her recording activities in 
the family. Her upcoming Co- 
lumbia release is a duet with 
her 10-year-old sister, Gail, on 
"Let the Sunshine In” and 
"The Lord Is Counting on 
You." 

Previously, thrush has war- 
bled with her husand, Jose 
Ferrer, and her other sister, 
Betty. She even etched a tune 
penned by her brother Nicky. 
Song was tagged "It Just Hap- 
pened to Happen to Me." 


‘Lover Now Past 
1,000,000 Mark 
Due to TV Plug 

"Let Me Go. Lover," which was 
catapulted into the bestseller lists 
in December via its plug on the 
CBS-TV show, "Studio One," has 
passed the 1.000.000 marker in 
disk sales via the original Joan 
Weber version for Columbia Rec- 
ords. Click of the song has in- 
spired other attempts to create hits 
by concentrated tv plugs, but the 
results have not been as clearcut. 

On the Jackie Gleason, video 
show, the tune. "My Love Song To 
You," sung and recorded by Bob 
Manning for Capitol, also was 
given a series of solid plugs. 
Capitol states the disk has gone 
over the 280.000 marker, but it 
has not broken through with any- 
where near the same power as 
"Let Me Go, Lover." 

The theme song of the Jack Car- 
son show, which is videocast 'on 
NBC-TV every fourth Friday, has 
also been cut by Bobby Milano for 
Capitol and also will be pushed 
via its tv connection. This tune, 
incidentally, was written by Car- 
son in collaboration with band- 
leader Roy Chamberlain and writer 
Tom Adair. 


SPARKS M 


Sparked by drastic industrywide 
reductions in longplay platter 
prices, the disk business has 
opened the new year with a marked 
upward sales spurt. Dealers and 
distribs across the board are get- 
ting a piece of the upward business 
swing, which may push the 1955 
disk biz over the peak sales racked 
up in 1947. 

After the initial excitement and 
confusion cued by the RCA Victor 
announcement of its reductions in 
the LP field, the other major com- 
panies have followed suit and have 
setup more or less similar price 
structures. Some of the companies, 
however, have not followed Victor 
either in revoking the 5 f c return 
privilege on LPs or in granting 
an extra 4 r c discount on single 
disks. 

Columbia Records prexv Jim 
Conkling, stating that “records 
aren’t beans,” has established a 
price schedule for his company that 
reflects the fact that "records are 
made at varying costs w ith varying 
difficulties." Hence, Columbia has 
marked down a major part of its 

(Continued on page 53) 


RIAA to Seek N. Y. Disk Piracy Law 
And Repeal of 10% Excise Tax 


What's in 2 Names 

Greensboro, N.C., Jan. 11. 

Charlotte police reported 
that Bob Crosby, no relation 
to the orchestra leader, stole 
a trumpet from Johnny Ray, 
no relation to the singer. 

Ra^ said the $775 trumpet w as 
missing from his home iast 
week. Detectives said Crosby 
admitted the theft when he 
was apprehended at a pawn- 
shop. 


Decca Tabs Hibbler 

A1 Hibbler, former Duke Elling- 
ton orch crooner, has been tagged 
by Decca Records. Hibbler, who'll 
etch for the pop field, will cut his 
first session for Decca next week. 


Cols 4th Quarter 
’54 Sales Up 25% 

Columbia Records wound up 
1954 with the largest fourth-quar- 
ter volume in the company’s his- 
tory. Phonograph sales topped the 
1953 take by nearly 25' r. due to 
Col’s expansion in the instrument 
line. 

The distaffers sparked Col’s pop 
line, with four waxings going over 
the 1,000,000 sales mark. The 
golden circle diskers were Rose- 
mary Clooney with "Hey There," 
Joan Weber with "Let Me Go, 
Lover." Jo Stafford with "Make 
Love To Me” and Doris Day with 
"Secret Love.” 

Percy Faith topped Col’s pop 
album sellers with "Music For 
Christmas” and was followed by 
Liberace with "Christmas at Lib- 
erace’s.” Soundtrack album from 
the WB pic. "A Star Is Born," was 
in the No. 3 spot. 

In the masterworks division, the 
i musical - literary documentary, 
“The Confederacy," led the best- 
selling pace, with Bruno Walter's 

(Continued on page 56) 


Disk Business 
Climbing Back 
To 1947 Peak 

The disk indust ry gross on the 
manufacturers’ level has climbed 
$15,000,000 since 1949 to oVer $90.- 
000.000 annually, but the take is 
still short of the alltime industry 
gross of $97,000,000 hit in 1947. 
After a letdown in 1948 and 1949. 
the industry began to recover lost 
ground under the impetus of the 
new 33 and 45 rpm speeds intro- 
duced at that time. 

Record industry sales, based on 
reports prepared by the U. S. Dept, 
of Commerce from 1921 through 
1937 and by the U. S. Treasury 
Dept, thereafter, are as follows, 
with values at the manufacturers’ 
selling price: 

1921 $47,843,856 

1923 36.372,410 

1925 26.790.847 

1927 31.781.443 

1929 34.128.735 

1931 7.697,787 

1933 2.500,477 

1935 3.705,016 

1937 6,023.863 

1942 9.683.900 

1943 KMti5.250 

1944 18.894.560 

1945 20,154.520 

1946 39.021.920 

1947 97.000.000 

1948 82.000.000 

1949 75.000.000 

1950 82.000.000 

1951 85.000,000 

1952 90.000.000 

1953 91.123.700 

In 1937 electrical transcription 

records were first reported as a 
separate item and are not included 
in subsequent years. 


-The Record Industry Assn, of 
America will muster its forces this 
year for another stab at getting 
the 10fo excise tax on disks re- 
pealed and enactment of a platter 
piracy law in New York State. 

Both objectives have been on 
the RIAA’s agenda since its incep- 
tion but it has been blocked at 
every turn. In New York State 
former Gov. Thomas E. Dewey 
played the heavy in the RIAA’s 
plot, since the piracy law passed 
the Legislature twice but was 
vetoed by the Governor both times. 
Org feels that chances of getting 
the piracy law through are much 
better since there now is a new 
administration in Albany. 

Campaign in Washington will be 
based on the fact that the 10 r o 
excise tax on disks was a wartime 
measure enacted to minimize pro- 
duction of non-defense material 
and that its repeal is long overdue. 
Organization will also point out 
that taking the disk industry off 
the excise hook will have no great 
effect upon the U.S. Treasury, 
since the revenue from disks 
amounts to only V* of 1% of the 
total take from the tax. 

The campaigns in both Wash- 
ington and Albany will be master- 
minded by John W. Griffin, 
RIAA’s exec secretary. 


MORRIS SHELLS OUT 1 OG 
AS 'KOKOMO’ ADVANCE 

E. H. Morris dipped into left 
field last week to nab the publish- 
ing rights to the rhythm 8c blues 
tune. “Kokomo," for a reported 
$10,000 advance. It’s the largest 
sum firm has ever shelled out. 

Tune broke out on the Coast 
via Jean 8c Eunice’s cut for the 
indie Combo label. Morris bought 
the rights from Jake Porter, 
Combo topper, who penned the 
song with Eunice Levy and Forrest 
Wilson. Another indie Coast label, 
Tampa, cut the tune with the 
Dooley Sisters. 

In the past week several major 
labels have hopped on the 
“Kokomo-” bandwagon, to crack it 
in the pop field. Among the majors 
covering were RCA Victor with 
Perry Como, Mercury with the 
Crew Cuts, Capitol with Betty and 
Marion Hutton, and Label X with 
Bill Darnel and Betty Clooney. 

Morris has tagged the tune for 
Meridian Music, its BMI subsid. 


‘High and Mighty’ Song 

Eligible for Oscar 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 
'The High and the Mighty," 
*ong written by Dimitri Tiomkin 
and Ned Washington for the War- 
ner picture, was passed by the 
Music Branch of the Academy of 
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 
a< eligible for nomination in the 
Best Song category in upcoming 

sweepstakes. 

Song was in dispute in some 
Quarters when Warners re-issued 
Picture Dec. 29 in L. A. with the 
song included. When picture was 
re. cased last Spring, the lyrics had 
cen deleted to reduce footage. 
war rules stipulate that a picture 
ii t>t be shown in L. A. for one 
c' k. staining before Dec. 31, and 
i ' e e hR>ble for an Oscar the 
■ jncs of a song must be heard. 


RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS 


P^-RIETY 


Survey of retail sheet music 
best sellers based on reports 
obtained from leading stores in 
13 cities and showing com- 
parative sales rating for this 
and last t reek. 

• ASCAP t BMI 


National 

Rating 

This Last 
wk. wk. 


Title and Publisher 

















w 





o' 

e 


o 

mm 




C 

6 

• 

p 

•mm 


U 



u 

G 



6 

U 

o 

o 

E 

3 

0 

V. 

it 

u 

o 

c 

CO 

•mm 

ft . 

o 

h 

c 

£ 

If. 

s 

Ml 

c 

g 

V. 

u 

it 

X 

w 

o 

u 

o 

V. 

3 

* 

4-> 

— 

£ 

1 n 

3 

£ 

(A 

c 

1 

£ 

tf. 

o 

7a 

P 

* 

c 

CC 

tr. 

P 

s 

c 

cc 

E 

mm 

6 

U 

o 

•mm 

If. 

t/i 

•mm 

p 

u 

CO 

JZ 

E 

a 

O 

IA 

L 

G 

CC 

£ 

JZ 

2 

C 

P 

5 

E 

$ 

o 

m 

fi 

P 

s 

c 

s 

w 

s 

>» 

o 

0 

1 

< 

T 

u* 

cc 

Zm 

1 

7 

c 

c 

o 

c 

T 


6 

a. 

1 

o 

■mm 

EL 

1 

M 

c 

i* 

$ 

it 

E 

'X 

I 

c 

r 

hiladelphia 

^0 

c 

0 

c 

< 

c 

K 

u 

1 

u 

« 

X 

ndianapolis 

~u 

I 

8 

i 

i 

I 

« 

c 

C 

c 

•m 

z 

K 

Ml 

W 

c 

« 

X 

1 

9 

2 
** 

1 

■9 

C 

m 

7 

► 

c 

i 

7 

u 

e 

< 

| 

■LEM 

z 

efi 

ft. 

/. 

u 

mm 

Q 

9 

X 


z 



T 

O 

T 

A 

L 

P 

0 

1 
N 
T 

S 


i 

2 

♦Mister Sandman (Morris'... 

3 

1 

3 

1 

1 

3 

2 

1 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

121 

2 

3 

■fLet Me Go, Lover iH&Ri... 

2 

2 

2 

3 

2 

1 

4 

2 

1 

3 

2 

3 

3 

113 

3 

5 

♦Naughty Lady < Paxton) 

1 

5 

1 

4 

4 

6 

1 


5 

5 

5 

2 

2 

99 

4 

1 

♦Count Blessings (Berlin*.... 

7 

7 

4 

2 

3 

• • 

• • 

6 

2 

2 

3 

5 

4 

76 

5 

4 

♦Teach Me Tonight (Hub-L» . . 

8 

3 

9 

6 

% 

5 

3 

4 

8 

6 

4 

4 

5 

73 

6 

6 

■tThis Ole House (Hamblen).. 

5 

8 

• • 

5 

6 

• • 


• . 

4 

4 

8 

7 

8 

44 

7 


r + Hearts of Stone (Regent). 

6 

6 

10 

9 

• • 

2 

6 

• • 

9 

8 

• • 

9 

6 

39 

8 

12 

♦Make Comfortable (Rylan).. 

10 

10 

8 

. . 

7 

7 

5 

5 

• • 

7 

7 

• • 

• • 

33 

9 


•Melody of Love (S-B>.. 

4 

4 

7 


9 

8 


• • 

• « 

9 


6 

• • 

** 

10 

9 

•I Need You Now (Miller)... 

• • 

• • 

• • 

7 

8 

• • 


8 

• • 

10 

• • 

8 

9 

16 

1 1 A 

13 

♦Papa Loves Mambo (S-B>... 

• • 

9 

• V 

10 

10 

9 


• • 

10 

• • 

9 

• • 


9 

11B 


^Sincerely (Regent) 

9 

• • 

• • 

• • 


4 


• • 

• • 

• • 


• • 


9 

11C 


^ That's All I Want (WAB» 

• • 

• • 


• •. 

• • 



7 

• • 





9 

14 

10 

•If I Give My Heart (Miller). 

. • 


. • 

8 




9 

• • 

• • 

10 

10 

10 

8 

15 


Tl)im the Lights (Republic).. 

• • 

. . )T 

• • 

• • 

• . 

• « 

9 

• • 

* • . 

• • 

• • 

. . 

7 

6 


Shaw Nabs Rights To 

Christie Pay Theme 

Arnold Shaw, vice-prexy of the 
publishing firm of Hill 8c Range, 
i has picked up the rights to the 
theme music of a new Agatha 
Christie play, “Spider’s Web.” 

| While in London recently, Shaw 
i heard the song played by an organ- 
ist during the intermission of an- 
other Christie play, “Witness for 
the Prosecution.” Shaw arrived 
back at his N. Y. office this week. 


‘Peach' Background Music 
Being Recorded By MGM 

A suite from the background 
music for the current Broadway 
comedy drama, “The Flowering 
Peach." will hit the wax market 
via MGM Records. Alex Hovha- 
ness, who penned the score, will 
conduct the recording session for 
the diskery. 

The “Peach" suite, which will 
cover only one side of a 12-inch 
LP. will be backed by “Is Their 
Survival,” also composed by Hov- 
haness. Album is set for early 
; February release. 

Adams Heads Polio Push 

! Stanley Adams, ASCAP prexy, 

! has been named chairman of the 
music industry division of the 1955 
New York campaign of the Na- 
tional Foundation of Infantile 
Paralysis. 

Metropolitan quota for the foun- 
idation is $4,000,000. 


i 














V«In«<lay, January 12, 1955 


% 

0> 

= 

s 

H 

TS 

= 

$ 

'W 

= 


N N V4 »H ^ £5| 


anbaanbnqiv— J3as— mfAtJj lira 
j3.\uaa— nkih— 


'h N'a 


H N.W 


ogaia ubs— baax — ***»t n 
saia3uy soq — 1V1M — aipauiy «|f 10 


aa^nB M||K— dKaM— ua«J«q qoa , 


T]8UUTDUt^)— o JD.W — sa.%v«a Ilia 


W 


m re« oj 


; l. 


in , *r co • ,oo 


eqciuo — 1| W03 — ooutaj ium|Of ; 


oj , *t in o- I .co 


X*!3 SBbUB^i — SHW — MI1S 


N CO — -CO 


Buisubi— wifAl— qooqs H «3 n 

~ 

;io.nag— af,a- pi*« ’mna : 

uaoqjfioa — iiKMU — jnomias n !Q 0 H • 


M ♦ O *,IA Oft 


• ri Tj< 


OOi-xa^BAV — 33XM — ||a*snjl »||J«iO co ;| ; 

sauiojM sag— XXMH— U»a U °CI ~ : + *> n 


X 

H 

V 

u 

0 

SS 

a 

o 

H 


oSBQiqj — XO,U— uotufS »I«» J 3 

5HOJ.IOX— HO.VAV— >I J *I3 ■*»*•* 

oiuo;uy ubs — ONOM — spjB.%vpa pjv.HOH 

• SBJIBQ — HU.W ®.»V01 Mlf 

ailtAuaaJO — 3MVM-“# Stt *a Ilia 

uoisapieq;^ — VKXAA — »l«0 *->*f 
3jnqsat)|tiH — trOJAi— i#I13 
sufiaiiQ A\aM— «1X.W— *"®r 


biubjtv— * xbM— <i o a *-* 


opuBiao — zhoav — pim 3 -*!*3 xuuqor 


ri CO , CO M 


Mr.N • M 


OJ »-i ^ ?o • ,© 


OJ O w 


~ • N 


OJ I ** P5 «- 05 C~ 


iuibiim— uivbAV— ««jna Ilia 


rf to 


. OJ 00 


Xjauio3iuopM — A03A\ — Jaqanx quBJj . 


uoi3un.xne— xofM— qj«is «»»a w 
q3.inqsu!d— AbX — »u»»a »®f ; « ® 

BiqdiapBiiqj— X3J.U— *»®Ja P"a 



n n oo 


00 OJ 


Xo.tx— AHX.V1 — ubJbubij |nrj 05 • oo oo o r- 

' ! ~| 

aoioy 1VM.W »I|J«a n °l 00 r. K N 05 

ja^saqaoy — jhh.W — mneqsnN u ok _ . .1 co oj | • 


^to 3l)UB[iv — aiK A\ — **a "O UB IV 


joVJaqDUEft — UAKA\— »3p|jqiV U *M 


co oj | *r 


.xojsao.xOAV— 3HO.U— qq««S VICI <© ' M I ^ o in 


uu.tq— \A1A\— HotiuacPK *>»f • oo oi , m 


uo;soa— X3KAV— J®!SBKaiv T ^ef| 


puBUJOj— ^ HOdAV— pjBuoai a|.%\oii 


UOjSutqsBM— 30.U— l«*JO »I!W 


U9ABJI A\aM— zaVAV— » nozai '3 aajoao 


n.toA M3M— aoAi— p»®a q®i!W 


00 • OJ I • l«- 


r-i ! 00 , CO CO 


■£^SS-S1S 


oj x co - *r 


t LS 

o c ' J5 




' C x§src| 
|K§ S J 

O cf to El ► O 

O P o is .5 O 

^ 5! ^ 8 a | S 

o c o ** -S P SJ 

X 0 2, 


« « c 5 ’ 

_ c im c X. > - 

hi c wi ! « 

« •O . Cfl 3 « 

& 5 3 ^ e “ 

rf) w O G .. 6J 

4) „ ^ £ ’ • 

ts-: cfj 

si® 

s U s I R z is? 

* I *!- ■** * * •> 


m on 

S r 


°< 

►- 

X) on 

o i* 
T « 

S H 

♦ 4- 


X X § tJ 2 .2 

!? J Z ?! g;" 
# + * - 


on ' 

h£ be 3 
E c u 

J{ -M H 

o « _ 

o 45 S 

•S a is 

Cfl on jr 

3 O 

JC on . 

— c >» 

•rs « 

cfl S) 

* * # 


t; I «» 

■S s 

c — 

o 5 

L* O 

I U 

4) 


4. I 

be • 

*« :U 

■S .IS 


O 45 4l JG « 

C > C fi " 

5 5 o S c 

« J W 5= < 

S *S 45 • « 

O ^ 1 C 

■2 S B ! s 


E^x- 

45 .5 ♦* « 

X JG J. X 

H H o 


S E -C 5 

E J2 w « 

A 05 X n 

,2 m ■•* ® 

!S S £ w 2 


ad 

c/a 


fe 


hi« 8 ui 

.U'« O J) Q 

tj E x: o -S 

« . 4? ** C ** 0» 

•§ •£ 2 1 45 U a, 

« ~ s ft o C 

&S al'S s l 
f . t J s i 

I 4. O £ So t w 

S z s- 


£, c: 

« 05 

J *5 


05 •- . >, • 1 • 

^ c • £L •' ^ ' 

C Cl. -< m 

o o . o * S 


1 o.°L o ■a 2 • O 

a . -3 o 1 t -Sil I g|«« 

uu O S > w < o O Q > 

• I i III • 


>. o 
L o 
3 ^ C 
« 45 

h t- ^3 
o « 

S u,u 


o 
c o 

G .- 

tj a 

03 C3 

u u 



« 45 § 

*» P to t5 
i O-t g S 
; 2^*5 -2 CQ 

a fc O 

5 ° c h 45 

sl S = 

) ^ ^ Ph 

3 ^ 8 ° S 

“^Sjiw 

a 2 1 X -Si * 
3 fc fe-E. ft 


: C |5 B C 

J * fxP 

t'.f tfiSLa 

Xicfl g-g Cfl 


| | 88 g-g 

1 1 * sl^‘ 

< O £ li 2 I 


I sp | ■ 

It £ 
I* 2 

Ivs » 

i* a 


n e 

©I © 

►o U. 


ra «< 
C I h C 

O rex 
U. Cfl,< 


.2 oc 

0 T, o 

z i = 

1 "* 

Ili 


to *2 

ev 3 

u o 

45 45 

Q S 


>> 

re 

*3 E 
E Si 
3 be 
Cfl 3 

* 5 

5 t 

* £ 

© 3 

u co 


© 

E 

o 

U _ 
o 

fc 

re 

U 
■3 


• I \ re *re 

’ : S : x - x 

u u u I c «-• C O 
2 2°i2 3 ° 3-^S 

•a -a .sio © .a © 

> >!>i^ O > U U S 


re - 

2 be! 4* 
© c © 

« I'-g 

5 is 



w 

• >o . 

• E •* 

‘ c x: 

• E : t 

O 41 « M « 

E "a q t .£ 

^ i * .5 ^ 

tcjl g 
© s o e Z 


X3 

C U C 

5 2 | 

rr o o 

O **re U 

u > u 


w , CQ 

Jet 

t« E 

re re 

E st "* 

I S'£ 

a £ 4 


i " i 

o >h ^ w ;re< m 
oj In oj In In oj 


N I OJ I CM 



5! E ^ 

©'5 t 

* Q 
e Eg 

© 45 O 

H:a Q 







































Wednesday, January 12, 1955 - 


MUSIC 


53 


RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS 





ft* 

</) 



u 

ft* 




a 

o 






6 

V 







• 

o 

U 

>» 

CJ 

•N 

u 

a 


6 

u 

M 

a 

E 

to 

c 

to 

t 

6 

c 

<A 

r> 

X 

C/3 


O 

o 


o 

c 7i 

3 

2 

y. 


u 

CJ 

IA 

9 

o 



(A 

3 

to ^ 

(A 


VARIETY 

Survey of retail disk best 


u 

o 

♦-* 

c 

u 

6 

U 

o 

a 

•mm 

3 

2 

2 

T3 

u 

t/3 

c 

o 

X 

C/3 

T3 

u 

O 

o 

6 

U 

o 
c 
<0 
• mm 

V) 

£ 

•mm 

(A 

3 

2 

35 

u 

t 


2 

CO 

'J5 

'O 

o 

o 

O 


sellers based on reports <>b 


03 

• (S3 

£ 

8 

cc 

c 

•a 

OS 

g 

•mrn 

cu 

(A 

o 

C 

o 

a 

(A 

3 

eft 


E 

& 


tained from leading stores in 


S 

u 

a> 

D 

*-< 

ft* 

c 

ft* 

C 

o 

o ; 


(A 

3 

o 

P 

OS 

(A 

U 

c 

2 


c 

eft 

3 


21 cities and showing com - 


35 

a 

3 

u 

U 

3 

o 

hM 

> 

o 

a* 

i a* 

2 

<0 

c 

a 

4l 

c 

o 

X 

c 


Urn 1 

o 

•3 

O 

O 

W 


parative sales rating ror this 



C/3 

ft* 

u 


eft 

J 

tr. | 

’C 

CO 

ft* 

< : 

o 

(A 

CU 

C 

ft* 

1 

5 

G 

G 

u 

o 

I 

G 


and last week. 


K 

I 

as 

E 

o 

X 

1 

c 

't/3 

o 

*-« 

c 

to 

« 

£ 

7 

1 

p 

o 

41 

C. 

> 

7 

W 

W 
• mrn 

X 

1 

3 

*±4 1 

1 

1 

I! 


os 

7 

OS 

o 

c 

4* 

• 

National 

s 

to 

£ 

1 

c 

1 

X 

a 

X 

•o 

- 

to 

s. 

3 

to 

X 

to 

c 

C/3 

1 

£ 

i 

I 

e 

C 

c 

1| 

I 

to 

o 

a 

CO 

<** 

••to 

U 

T. 

i 

3 

TJ 

C 

CO 

1 

*3 

e 

CO 

1. 

Q 

1 

h 

Ratine 

This Last 

uk. wk. Artiat, Label, Title 

ft 

2 

x 

M 

a 

£ 

o 
— • 

/ 

e 

CO 

c 

m 

£ 

< 

to 

*5= 

cu 

XI 

5 

-to* 

£ 

•mm 

E 

U 

S 

Miam 

*3 

e 

to 

TS 

a 

< 

s 

C/3 

in 

£ 

X 

U 

co 

-5 

c 

— 

41 

c 

c 

2 

5. 

e 

to 

£ 

O 

«• 

C/3 

to 

> 

to 

u 

c 

% 

X 

cu 

b. 

e 

CO 

C/3 

to 

> 

C 

to 

Q 


o 

U 

>> 

CO 

u 

c 

<0 

£ 

u 

x 

cn 


CO 

II 

C/3 


T 

O 

T 

A 

L 

P 

0 

1 
N 
T 

S 


JOAN WEBER (Columbia) 


1 

^ 1 

“Let Me Qo, Lover” 

1 

3 

2 

3 

4 

1 

• • 

1 

1 

3 

i 

2 

# , 

7 3 

m 

• • 

2 

3 

1 

2 

151 

2 

2 

CHORDETTES (Cadence) 

“Mister Sandman” 

5 

4 

9 

1 

1 

6 

3 

2 

3 

• • 

2 

1 

6 

2 2 

5 

B 

■ 

B 

9 

1 

145 

3 

3 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) 
“Naughty Lady of Shady Lane”.., 

3 

♦ 

6 


4 

3 

3 

8 

3 

• • 

4 

3 

3 


1 8 

1 


3 

B 

• • 

6 

114 

4 

11 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) 

“Hearts of Stone” 

# m 

1 

6 

_5 

7 


4 

7 

5 

2 

6 

• • 

10 

10 1 

2 

5 

5 


0 

5 

95 

5 

5 

DeCASTRO SISTERS (Abbott) 
“Teach Me Tonight” 

6 

7 


2 

10 

• • 

6 

4 


8 

4 

8 



6 

10 

4 

2 

3 

10 

75 

6 

12 

SARAH VAUGHAN (Mercury) 
“Make Yourself Comfortable” 

• • 

5 

.. 

• • 

• • 

• • 

9 

5 

8 

5 

9 

5 

4 


8 

7 

9 

8 


9 

52 

* 

1 


McGUiRE SISTERS (Coral) 
“Sincerely” . . . .’ 

• • 

9 

4 


• • 

4 

2 


• • 

• • 

• • 

• • 

3 

• • • • 

• • 

3 

• • 

• • 


4 

48 

8 


~ EDDIE FISHER (Victor) * 

“Count Your Blessings” 

2 


• • 

8 

5 

• • 

• • 

9 

• • 

n 

B 

€ 




• 0 

8 

• • 

5 


43 

9 

8 

HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 

“Shake, Rattle and Roil” 

7 

2 

• • 

6 

8 

• • 

• • 

.. 

• • 

• • 

• • 

• • 



4 

• • 


6 


7 

38 


JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) 



17 

“That’s All I Want From You”. . . . 9 . . 

• • 

• • 

• • • • 

1 

8 

7 


• • 

4 

2 


• • • • 

• . 

• • 


. . • • 

1 1 A 

24 

BILLY VAUGHN (Dot) 

“Melody of Love” 

1 

7 

8 

• • 

• • 

• • 

9 

• • 

9 


5 

• • • • 

2 

• • 



1 IB 

21 

HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) 

“Dim, Dim the Lights” 

5 

• • 

• • • • 

• • 

1 

• • 

2 

• • 

• • 

B 

• • 


9 3 

A 

• • 

■ • 


13 

4 

ROSEMARY CLOONEY (Columbia) 

“This Ole House” 


9 

2 2 

• • 

• 

• • 


% 

• • 

8 

• • 





• • 

• • 

2 . . 

14 

9 

FOUR ACES (Decca) 

“Mister Sandman” 


• • 

• • • • 

• • 



1 

• • 

• • 


8 

• • • • 

• 

1 

• • 

4 . . 

15 

6 

EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 

“I Need You Now” 10 . . 


10 

• • • • 

• • 

6 


6 

5 

• • 

• • 

* • 

• • • • 


7 

• • 

8 .. 

16 


COWBOY SCHOOL (Decca) 

“Open Up Your Heart” 

3 


• • • • 

• • 




• • 

• • 

7 

3 

10 .. 


• • 

• • 

• • • • 

17 

7 

PERRY COMO (Victor) 

“Papa Loves Mambo“ 4 



• • • • 

• • 

10 



10 

• • 


• • 

• • • • 


• • 

5 

6 . . 

18 

17 

DeJOHN SISTERS (Epic) 

“No More’-* 



.. 10 

• • 




• • 

• • 


4 

4 . . 

8 

• • 

• • 

. . . . 

19 

13 

ROSEMARY -CLOONEY (Columbia) 

“Mambo Italiano” 8 10 



.. 5 

■ • 

• • 



• • 

• • 



• ■ • • 


6 

• • 

• • • • 

20 A 

14 " 

PENGUINS (Dootone) 

“Earth Angel” 



.. 9 


• • 



• • 

• • 



• • • • 


• • 

• • 

.. 3 

20B 


MARTIN-SHORE (Victor) 

“Melody of Love” 



• • • • 





• • 

• • 

1 


• • • • 


• • 

• • 


22A 

15 

TERESA BREWER (Coral) 

“Let Me Go, Lover” 



• • • • 

5 




• • 

• • 

9 




• • 

• • 

10 . . 

22B 


HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 

“Land of Dreams” 8 



• • • • 


• • 



• • 

• • 

.. 

.. 

5 . . 


• • 

• • 

• • • • 

24 

21 

THREE CHUCKLES (Label X) 

“Runaround” 



.. 7 

• • 




• • 

• • 



• • • • 


• • 

• • 

8 

25 

o • 

HUGO WINTERHALTER (Victor) 

“Song of the Barefoot Contessa” 

7 

• • 

• • • • 

• • 

• • 

• • 


• • 

• • 



• • i i 


• • 

• 

9 

• • • • 


37 


36 

36 

32 

30 

25 

21 

20 

18 

15 


10 


9 


9 



i 

2 

3 

4 

5 

4 


STUDENT PRINCI 

MUSIC, MARTINIS 

DEEP IN MY HEART 

GLENN MILLER 

FANNY 

A STAR IS BORN 

SIX TOP 

Maris Lanza 

AND MEMORIES 

Hollywood Cast 

LIMITED EDITION, II 

Broadway Cast 

Judy Garland 



Jackie Gleason 


Glenn Miller 


Columbia 

ALB U M S 

Victor 

Capitol 

MGM 

Victor 

Victor 

BL 1201 

. 

LM 1837 

W 509 

E 3153 

LPT 6701 

LOC 1015 

BA 1201 

/ 

* ERB 1837 

lEAP 1, 2. 3, 4—5091 X 276 * 

EPOT 6701 

EOC 1015 

BM 1201 




Sales Spurt In Disk Biz 


Continued from page 51 


12-inch Masterworks catalog to 
13.98 with certain selections to be 
priced at $4.98 and others at $5.95. 
All 10-inch LPs will go for $2.98 
'\liile EPs will go for $1.49 each. 
Columbia has upped the price of 
rpm singles to 98c, except for 
folk records, which will continue 
a j 89c along with the 45 rpm sin- 
gles. 

Decca Goes Along 

Decca Records also has set up a 
9H and $4.98 classifications for 
j ls 12-inch LPs. Also like Victor, 
Lecca and its subsid label, Coral, 
o ne revoked the 5 % return privi- 
lege on LPs. Unlike Victor, how- 
e ' l>r , Decca is holding the price of 
f°P jungles, whether on 78 or 45, 
0 89c. MGM Records, meantime, 
adopted the RCA discount 
ructure along with the new price 
setup. 

( apitol Records also altered its 
] )! lce an d discount structure late 

p?A W « e v k t0 fo,low the line set by 
A victor. Diskery dropped the 

1- ° n 11 s c,assical BP series from 
‘••>9.) to $4.98. Price on the 78 rpm 
4- ng,e " as upped to 98c while the 
sin gie will continue to be 
w. ( d, * d at 8 ®°- Majority of Cap’s 

nii LP ,ive a,re *dy had been 
' U at $2.98, which meets Vic- 


I tor’s revised schedule. Original 
! cast albums will be priced at $5.95, 
i while the special hi-fi sets will be 
$6.50. Diskery is guaranteeing 
these prices until June 30. 

Diskery is offering a 38% dis- 
count privilege on its albums with 
an additional 6% discount for ex- 
tended play sets. In a move to 
spark the album sales, dealers will 
receive one free alburn, for dem- 
onstration purposes, for orders of 
two or more packages. There'll be 
a 100% exchange privilege on al- 
bum orders from Jan. 10 through 
March 30. The exchange must be 
made within a six month period 
and effects orders of a minimum 
of two and a maximum of five. 
For the single line, diskery is of- 
fering a 10% return deal to deal- 
ers, operators and one-stops. It'll 
mark the first time that operators 
and one-stops have been given the 
return privilege. Any unused por- 
tion of the return privilege will be 
refunded at 50%. 

London Records also fell into 
line and put the bulk of its 12-inch 
catalog into the $3.98 class, with 
some items going for $4 98. London 
has not changed its prices or dis- 
counts on pop singles. Mercury 
Records, however, has gone up to 


98c on 78 rpm singles and aligned 
its LP prices in accordance with 
the Victor schedule. 

Among the smaller companies 
there was also a general movement 
to price reductions, although the 
Vox and Westminster labels are 
holding to their original prices for 
the time being. Vox informed deal- 
ers that if any changes were to be 
made, notice of at least 60 days 
w'ould be given. Colosseum Records 
announced that it w’ould offer deal- 
ers more liberal discount and re- 
turn privileges in lieu of reducing 
its prices. Vanguard Records has 
reduced its LP prices to $4.98 for 
| 12-inchers and $3.95 for 10-inchers. 

Savoy Records, which specializes 
in rhythm & blues disks, is also 
holding to its old price structure 
on all speeds and it’s likely that 
most other indie labels in the pop. 
country and r&b field will main- 
tain the 89c price on 78s for as 
long as possible. 

l i ■■■■■■■■ 

Stolz to Lowlands 

Vienna, Jan. 11. 

Maestro-composer Robert Stolz 
! is heading for Holland and Belgium 
this week to conduct a series of 
concerts in the two countries. 

Stolz has also been nominated 
by the Austrian Broadcasting Sta- 
i tions to rep Austrian music at the 
; International Festival of Light 
! Music organized by the BBC in 
I London starting April 17. 


Hampton May 

Swing Thru Israel 

• 

Extension of Lionel Hampton’s 
swing through Europe has opened 
up the possibilities of a three-week 
trek to Israel. It’ll mark the first 
time an American swing orch will 
have played in that country. 

Plans are now in the offing to 
shift Hampton from the Continent 
to Israel Jan. 24 for a series of 
concerts in Tel Aviv, Haifa and 
Jerusalem. In Hampton’s reper- 
toire are a symphonic arrangement 
of **Eili Eili’’ and a jazz workover 
of “Hatikvah,” the Hebrew an- 
them. 

Orch has been touring Europe 
for the past three months and was 
slated to head back to the States 
at the end of this month. No date 
for his return has been set yet. 


Bourne Asks $200,000 
In Infringement Suits 
Against Pubs, Diskers 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Two actions seeking $100,000 
apiece for asserted copyright in- 
fringement and fraud were brought 
in L. A. Federal Court last week 
( by Bourne music, against several 
other music publishers and 15 John 
Does. Defendants are Messner 
Sqles, Inc., Medlee, Inc., Aladdin 
Records, Leo Mesner, Edward Mes- 
ner, Ida Mesner, and Messer Ac 
Messers Inc. 

Complaint, in first action, charges 
that the song, ’’San Antonio Rose,’' 
cleffed by Bob Wills in May, 1940, 
and assigned to Bourne, had been 
waxed by defendants without per- 
mission, ’’in utter disregard to the 
rights of the plaintiff ” 

Second action alleged defendants 
had reproduced on record the 
song, “Steel Guitar Rag,” by Leon 
McAulifee. also assigned to Bourne, 
without plaintiff’s permission. 

Max Fink, attorney for Bourne, 
pointed out, “This action is a fore- 
runner of eight other actions to be 
filed in Federal Court with the 
intent of cleaning up some of the 
practices and enforce the rights of 
music publishers.” 


GRANZ BUCKS TREND; 
UPS JAZZ DISK TABS 

Current disk industry trend to 
lower prices isn’t bothering Nor- 
man Granz. Prexy of the Clef 
and Norgran jazz labels, in fact, is 
moving in the other direction, if 
even by a few pennies. 

Granz is upping his $5.95 12-inch 
LPs to $5 98; the $4.95 line of $4 98 
and the $3.95 line to $3 98. The 
extended play platters have been 
jacked up to $1.59 from $1.47, while 
the single 78 rpm disks were hiked 
to 98c. from 89c. Granz also has 
notified his distributors and deal- 
ers that he’ll guarantee prices in 
event of a future tab reshuffling. 


New Designs to Push 

Pre-Recorded Tape 

, As part of its stepped-up mer- 
chandising and promotion program 
to push pre-recorded tape on the 
'consumer level, A-V Tape. Li- 
braries has introduced new pack- 
age designs on 16 different sets. 
Repackaging move was made to 
provide dealers with sets that could 
make interesting window and 
j counter displays and to provide 
quick identification of titles and 
artists at point-of-sale. 

A-V*s package conversion is 
• being handled gradually. 


FAYE-SKITCH TEAM FOR 
‘MIDDLE-HAIR’ D.C. BASH 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

The Skitch Henderson-Faye Em- 
erson stint with the National Sym- 
phony Orch laid a financial egg 
last Saturday night <8>, but 
scored with the 1,200 stubholders 
who barely made a dent in the 
3.800-seat Constitution Hall. The 
Hendeyson batoning technique was 
generally hailed as creditable, 
while La Emerson’s eye-filling ap- 
pearance offset the fact that her 
reading chores added little to the 
meaning of the scores. 

The personable husband-wife 
team have joined forces in such 
“middle-hair” concerts several 
limes, last being in Oklahoma City 
last month. Henderson is current- 
ly studying longhair orch tech- 
niques with Fritz Reiner and is 
mulling a full concert tour next 
season, with his frau joining him 
at selected spots. His current stint 
on NBC’s Steve Allen show in- 
cludes forays into the classics. 

AFM Battles Chi Indie 
Over Non-Union Polkas 

. Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Open warfare has broken out 
between suburban indie WOPA 
and the American Federation of 
Musicians’ Local 10. with AFM 
prexy James C. Petrijlo taking a 
personal hand in the situation. Pe- 
tri! lo’s ire has been stirred up by 
the station’s non-union operation 
and it’s airing of non-union polka 
bands. 

The union has been smarting 
over its inability to organize the 
suburban polka groups which 
have b’.dlt up local followings via 
their exposure over WOPA. The 
indie programs some 20 hours 
weekly of remotes featuring the 
bands from neighborhood ball- 
rooms and uses the bandleaders as 
deejays. When AFM threw up 
picket lines around the various 
halls where the non-union bands 
were playing and launched an all- 
out drive to enroll them, the sta- 
tion devoted airtime to appeals for 
support for the bands. 





































54 


music 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Diskers Gird to Sustain Holiday 

Sales Drive Well Into New Year 

* 


The record companies are gear- 
ing to sustain the sales momentum 
of the holiday season into the 
new year. Sales staffers of the top 
labels have fanned out around the 
country this past week to brief 
branch managers and distributors 
on upcoming product, while home- 
olfice exploitation chiefs are prop- 
ping a heavy promotional barrage 
on the new releases. 

The final figures aren’t in yet 
but it's expected that this season s 
Yule sales spurt will show up as 
the best in years. RCA Victor, for 
example, reports last week as one 
of the biggest in over-the-counter 
sales in its history. Label’s Ames 
Bros.’ etching of “Naughty Lady of 
Shady Lane” racked up 60.000 
sales in one day. Decca, Columbia 
and Capitol also report heavy sales 
play throughout the week. » 

The companies for the most part 
will be banking on their disclickers 
of the past to pull ’em through 
again. In Columbia’s case, however, 
one of its major pushes will be on 
a new pactee, Mahalia Jackson. 
Thrush’s initial Col platters will be 
out in January and all of the plat- 
tery’s branches have been alerted 
for the big push. 

Victor’s Packages 

Victor currently is laying on the 
Tony Martin-Dinah Shore waxing 
of "Melody of Love” as well as The 
Johnson Family coupling of “Do 
You Know Where God Lives” and 
“The Lord Is Counting on You.” 
In the package field Victor is prep- 
ping a deluxe original cast album 
of “Silk Stockings” and the Eddy 
Arnold collection tagged -An 
American Institution” for the Jan- 
uary drive. 

Decca is coming off one of its 
hottest years with the Cowboy 
School waxing 6f a pair of Stuart 
Hamblen tunes, the Caterina Va- 
lente slice of “Malaguena” and a 
new Sammy Davis Jr. biscuit for 
the new year drive. Cap is stressing 
the Les Paul-Mary Ford coupling 
of “Song in Blue” and “Someday 
Sweetheart” as well as the Frank 


Sinatra-Ray Anthony workover oi 
“Melody ol Love.” 

MGM expects to hit hard early 
in the year with Joni James and 
Betty Madigan slices; Mercury will 
stress The Crew Cuts, Gaylords 
and newcomer Denise Lor among 
others, while London will enter 
David Whitfield, Frank Chacks- 
field, The Johnson Bros, and Mon- 
tovani for a fast getaway in ’55. 


GEORGE LIBERACE SET 
FOR OWN CONCERT TOUR 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

George Liberace, orch conduc- 1 
tor-brother of pianist Liberace, is | 
set to make his ow n concert tour j 
across the country following his 
guest appearance on George | 
Gobel’s tv show Jan. 22. 

George, recently inked by the 
Premiere Artists agency, also 
conducts his own orch in Liberace’s j 
upcoming Warner's pic, “^sincerely 
Yours " 

On-Spot Liberace Bowl 
Taping Set As Album 

An on-the-spot taping of a 
Liberace concert is being prepped 
for album release by Columbia Rec- 
ords. Package will include 
Liberace’s keyboarding, patter, and j 
reaction and orch accompaniment 
by brother George. 

Taping was made at Liberace’s 
Hollywood Bowl concert last year. 


Del Wood Joins RCA 

RCA Victor has added femme 
pianist Del Wood to its country and j 
western talent roster. Steve 
Sholes, Victor’s c&w r chief, headed 
for Nashville this week to cut her 
first sides. 

Miss Wood broke through with 
a hit a couple of years ago with 
her keyboard version of “Down 
Yonder.” 



BOB STEWART 


sings 


A MILLION 
STARS 


YOURS FOR 
THE ASKING 


MGM 11902 ' 
K 11902 


78 RPM 
45 RPM 


M G M RECORDS 

THE GREATEST NAME IN ENTERTAINMENT 




Disk Best Sellers of 1954 

Listed below in alphabetical order of the artist are the top 50 
best sellers in the pop disk field during 1954. Compilation is 
based on the information contained in Variety’s weekly Retail 
Disk Best Sellers charts. 


Artist-Title 


Label 


AMES BROTHERS— “Man With the Banjo” Victor 

AMES BROTHERS— “Naughty Lady of Shady Lane” Victor 

TONY BENNETT— "Stranger in Paradise” Columbia 

ARCHIE BLEYER— “Hernando’s Hideaway” Cadence 

TERESA BREWER— “Jilted” Coral 

CHORDETTES — "Mister Sandman” Cadence 

ROSEMARY CLOONEY— “Hey There” Columbia 

ROSEMARY CLOONEY — “Mambo Italiano” Columbia 

ROSEMARY CLOONEY— “This Ole House” Columbia 

NAT (KING) COLE — “Answer Me. My Love” Capitol 

PERRY COMO — “Home for the Holidays” Victor 

PERRY COMO — “Papa Loves Mambo” Victor 

PERRY COMO— “Wanted” Victor 

DON CORNELL— “Hold My Hand” Coral 

CREW CUTS — “Crazy ’Bout You, Baby” Mercury 

CREW CUTS— “Sh-Boom” Mercury 

DORIS DAY — “If I Give My Heart to You” Columbia 

DORIS DAY — “Secret Love’’ * Columbia 

DeCASTRO SISTERS— “Teach Me Tonight” Abbott 

EDDIE FISHER— “A Girl. A Girl” Victor 

EDDIE FISHER — “Count Your Blessings” Victor 

EDDIE FISHER— “I Need You Now” Victor 

EDDIE FISHER— “Oh. My Papa’’ Victor 

FOUR ACES — "Heart of My Heart” Decca 

FOUR ACES — “Three Coins in the Fountain” Decca 

FOUR KNIGHTS— “Oh, Baby Mine” (I Get So Lonely) ...Capitol 

FOUR TUNES — “I Understand Just How You Feel” Jubilee 

GAYLORDS — “From the Vine Came the Grape” Mercury 

GAYLORDS — “Little Shoemaker” Mercury* 

BILL HALEY’S COMETS— “Shake. Rattle and Roll” Decca 

KITTY KALLEN — “In the Chapel in the Moonlight” Decca 

KITTY KALLEN — “Little Things Mean a Lot” Decca 

RAlBH MARTERIE — “Skokiaan” ..Mercury 

DEAN MARTIN — "That’s Amore” Capitol 

TONY MARTIN— “Here” * Victor 

McGUIRE SISTERS — “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight” . .Coral 

MILLS BROTHERS — “Jones Boy” Decea 

LOU MONTE — “Darktovvn Strutters Ball” Victor 

PATTI PAGE — “Changing Partners” Mercury 

PATTI PAGE — “Cross Over the Bridge” Mercury 

LES PAUL-MARY FORD— “I’m a Fool to Care” Capitol 

GEORGIE SHAW— “Till We Two Are One” Decca 

FRANK SINATRA — “Three Coins in the Fountain” Capitol 

FRANK SINATRA — “Young at Heart” Capitol 

JO STAFFORD — “Make Love to Me” Columbia 

KAY STARR — “If You Love Me” (Really Love Me) Capitol 

KAY STARR — “Man Upstairs” Capitol 

JOAN WEBER — "Let Me Go, Lover” Columbia 

FRANK WEIR — “Happy Wanderer” London 

VICTOR YOUNG— “High and the Mighty” Decca 


Seattle AFM Local 

Elects New Officers 

Seattle, Jan. 11. 

Leslie Martin, a bass player In 
the Seattle Symphony, defeated 
longtime incumbent Harry L. Reed 
for the presidency of Local 76, 
Musicians Union here, in a hotly 
contested election. Reed had been 
president of the local since 1944. 

Other contested office, that of 
business representative, was w r on 
by Chester Ramage, who defeated 
Jack Smith, biz rep since 1947, 
with one year out in 1951. Reed 
and Smith directed most campaign 
fire at one another, with Reed 
supporting Ramage. 

Martin was also elected presi- 
dent of the Musician’s Club of 
Seattle over Reed. Ramage, Reed 
and Ida B. Dillon were chosen 
delegates to the AFM convention. 
Unopposed officers included Alvin 
Schardt, vice-president; Ed. J. 
Carey, secretary, and Cliff Leh- 
man, treasurer. 


Omaha Reelects Prez 

Omaha. Jan. 11. 

John Shildneck recently was 
elecTed prexy of Lincoln, Neb., 
Musicians Association for his 
eighth consecutive term. 

Other 1955 officers are Gunnar 
Sorenson, v.p.; Mark Pierce, sec- 


Best British Sheet Sellers 

(Week ending Jan. 1) 

London, Jan. 5. 

Mister Sandman Morris 

Hold My Hand Wood 

Can’t Tell. Waltz Reine.. 

This Ole House Duchess 

Santo Natale Spier 

If I Give My Heart.. Robbins 
Count Your Blessings. .Berlin 
Finger of Suspicion . . Pickwick 

Veni, Vidi, Vici Dash 

Happy Wanderer ...Bosworth 
Must Be A Reason ..Connelly 
No One But You Robbins 


retary-treasurer; Tony DiPaola, 
sergeant-at-arms, and Jack Snider, 
Riley Smith. Bob Graham, Eugene 
Stoll and John Cox, board of di- 
rectors. 


Weinstein N.O. Tooter Head 

New’ Orleans, Jan. 11. 

Dave Weinstein was elected 
president of the Musicians Mutual 
Protective Union, Local 174, 
! American Federation of Musicians, 
last Wednesday (5). 

| Other officers are Nick M. Tadin, 
vice president; John Scheuermann 
Jr., secretary -treasurer; Charles F. 
Hartmann, business rep; Charles 
Dupont, assistant business rep; 
Clifford H. Eustis, accountant, and 
Joseph Graffagnini, sergeant-at- 
arms. 


Grinnell Bros., Detroit, 
Elects New Officers 

Detroit, Jan. 11. 

For the first time in several 
years, two members of the Grin- 
nell family head the 75-year-old 
Grinnell Bros. Music House, larg- 
est in Detroit. Store has 30 
branches in Michigan, Ohio and 
Ontario. 

Lloyd G. Grinnell was elected 
president, succeeding Eddy R. Mc- 
Duff, who resigned to become 
prexy of the Winter Piano Co., of 
New York. Ira L. Grinnell was 
elected to replace Lloyd G. Grin- 
nell as v.p. Other officers are Lee 
R. Joslyn Jr., secretary, and Rob- 
ert Baker, treasurer. 


Stevens-Seven Disks 

Schenectady, Jan. 11. 

Garry Stevens and the “After 
Six Seven, featured on “TV Show’- 
ease” via WRGB, Schenectady, five 
times weekly, last week cut sides 
of four records for sale in Capital 
District stores. 

Group is Issuing the records un- 
der its own name. 


CAP STEPPING UP PUSH 
ON V-M CHANGER UNE 

Capitol Records will step up its 
sales and promotional campaign 
on its V-M record changer line for 
the coming year. Capitol took over 
the V-M line in August, 1953, but 
this will mark the first year the 
diskery will have a special depart- 
ment to handle the record changer 
division. Joe Bour will head up 
the department handling sales and 
promotion matters. 

Branches handling the V-M line 
now has been upped to 21. In ’53 
only Cap branches in New York, 
Newark, Los Angeles and San 
Francisco presented the phono- 
graphs. 

V-M is home-based in Benton 
Harbor, Mich., with K. L. Bishop 
as general sales manager and M. B. 
Cain as distributor sales manager. 


New MPCE Council 

Music Publishers Contact Em- 
ployees Union began the new year 
with election of a new' executive 
council. Seated for a two-year 
term were Leo Diston, Bob Baum- 
gart, Mac Kooper, Burt Haber, 
Bernie Pollack, Mickey Garlock, 
Jack Perry, Sammy Smith, Murray 
Luth and Harry 'Santly. 

Union’s presidential election w ill 
be held in 1956. Bob Miller is 
current MPCE prexy. 


That ‘Space Ship’ Feeling 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

There’s a definite “out of this 
world” flavor in the RCA Victor 
album completed here recently 
by the Voice of Walter Schumann. 
Album is in the science fiction 
vein of music with a “space ship” 
feeling. 

Experiment in melodies of the 
future is for release fairly seen. 
Tunes are all original compositions 
by Leith Stevens. 


Ted Dreher was reelected presi- 
dent of the Kansas City Musicians 
Local 34, AFM. He had been 
president three years. 



A WONDERFUL 
SEASONAL SONG 


Si? end Cohn s 

"LIT IT SNO W.'" 

"ut it Show 1 " 

"UT IT SHOW!" 


CAHN MUSIC COMPANY 



Second 12 

I Still Believe. . .Macmelodies 


Sky Blue Shirt Wright 

Smile ....Bourne 

My Son Kassner 

Happy Days Wright 

My Friend Chappell 

I Love Paris Chappell 

Things Mean a Lot. . Robbins 

Heartbeat ...Kassner 

Mama Doll Song Leeds 

Story of Tina. . . .Macmelodies 
Whitt* Christmas Berlin 


America's- Fastest 

■= Selling -:Records! 









Wnlnewlay, January 12, 1955 




NO... THESE ARE LAFALCES 


(La-fal-chees) 


THE 9 L A FALCE BROTHERS 


(Lafalchee) 


at their first recording session 


and it was fabulous. . . hear it ! 


THE DEVIL’S HIGHWAY 






56 


MUSIC 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Dorseys Fete 20th 
Anni With Bash 


Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey cele- 
brated their 20th anni as bandlead- 
ers with a special bash last night 
(Tues.) at the Hotel Statler, N. Y. 
The Dorsey freres currently are 
co-helming the orch there. 

The brothers rejoined forces two 
years ago after heading up their 
own orchs for almost 17 years. 
Their initial teamup was in 1934 
and they worked in tandem for 
close to two years before splitting 
up. Orch now records for Bell Rec- 
ords, a lowprice label, and the 
brothers recently formed their own 
diskery to release for the regular 
priced market. 


Jeffrey Clay Exiting 

Kaye Band As Single 

Jeffrey Clay, crooner with the 
Sammy Kaye orch, is going out as 
a solo singer soon. 

He will continue under Kaye's 
management and currently is be 
ing dickered by several major 
labels. Bids for Clay to go out as 
a single began coming in after he 
cut “Mission of St. Augustine" 
with Kaye for (Columbia last year. 

The bandleader currently is 
looking for a replacement for Clay, 
who's been with the orch two 
years. Last singer to leave the 
Kaye orch for a solo stab was 
Don Cornell. 


Feyer Signed by MCA 

George Feyer. pianist whose 
*‘Echoes” albums for Vox (“Echoes 
of Paris,” "Echoes of Broadway,” 
etc.) have created a stir, has been 
signed for management by Music 
Corp of America. 

E. B. Marks Music Corp, is pub- 
lishing simplified piano arrange- 
ments of the various "Echoes” in 
about six weeks. Meantime, the 
pianist is back at his nightly stint 
at the Hotel Delmobico, N. Y. 



It's Music by 


JESSE GREER 

Program Today Yesterday's 

JUST YOU, 
JUST ME 

ROBBINS 


fcfctlEtrr Scoreboard 


OF 


TOP TALENT AND TUNES 


Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution 
Encom /Hissing the Three Major Outlets 

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music 

as Published in the Current Issue 


NOTE : The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is 
arrived at under a statistical systevi comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu • 
inerated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive 
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de- 
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail 
disks ) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks and retail sheet music). 


POSITIONS 
This Last 
Week Week 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 


1 

2 

3 

9 

6 

8 


7 

8 


TALENT 

• » 

• ^ 

ARTIST AND LABEL TUNE 

JOAN WEBER (Columbia) Let Me Go, Lover 

CHORDETTES (Cadence) Mister Sandman 

AMES BROTHERS (Victor) Naughty Lady of Shady Lane 

FONTANE SISTERS (Dot) Hearts of Stone 

De CASTRO SISTERS (Abbott) Teach Me Tonight 

Shake, Rattle" and Roll 

BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca) Dim, Dim the Lights 

Rock Around the Clock 

(Mercury) Make Yourself Comfortable 

(Coral) 'Smcerdy 

/No More 


SARAH VAUGHAN 
McGUIRE SISTERS 


10 


Count Your Blessings 
I Need You Now 
[Fanny 

JAYE P. MORGAN (Victor) That’s All I Want From You 


EDDIE FISHER (Victor) 


TUNES 

POSITIONS (*ASCAP. tBMI) 

This Last 

W r eek Week TUNE PUBLISHER 

1 1 ‘"MISTER SANDMAN Morris 

2 2 fLET ME GO, LOVER Hill & Range 

3 3 •'NAUGHTY LADY OF SHADY LANE Paxton 

4 9 fHEARTS OF STONE'. Regent 

5 4 *TEACH ME TONIGHT Hub-Leeds 

) 6 10 "MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE Rylan 

7 6 "‘COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS Berlin 

8 . „ *MELODY OF LOVE Shapiro-Bernstein 

9 .. f THAT’S ALL I WANT FROM YOU .....Weiss & Barry 

10 5 fTHIS OLE HOUSE Hamblen 


AFM Okays 


Continued from page 51 


Petrillo that their position was un- 
tenable in that other producers 
| net using live music were under- 
i bidding them on shows, 
i Consequently, situation now is 
that a signature with AFM must 
use live music in at least part of 
I one series, but may resort to the 
canned tracks in others. It marks 
the first time producers will bfe 
' using the canned music .with the 
official sanction of the AFM. 

An example of the change re- 
! suiting from the new policy is Ziv 


THE DECCA RECORD ARTISTS 

MUGGSY SPANIER 

and his famous 

DIXIELAND BAND 

Currently 

COLONIAL TAVERN, Toronto 
Jan. 31 — RENDEZVOUS ROOM, Philo. 
Feb. 16— PREVIEW, Chicago 


ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION 


JOE GLASER, fres. 
New York I Chicago 


7$ 5tlt PL 9-4600 


203 No Wabaih 


Hollywood 

8619 Sun,t?t Blvd 


TV. Until recently, Ziv was not 
an AFM signator, but when it 
signed Eddie Cantor for a series 
it inked a pact with the union. 
However, company continues io use 
canned tracks on its other series 
with union okay. 

Another illustration is Desilu, 
which uses live music on series, 
"I Love Lucy,” "December Bride,” 
“Our Miss Brooks” and “Willy.” 
It's known company felt that while 
it needed live music on these 
series, it was suffering on other 
series in that competing producers 
not using live music were in a 
position to underbid and sell their 
shows. Desilu’s beef to Petrillo, 
like that of other producer pactees, 
was that it was unfair to penalize 
them in selling series because they 
were using live music and conse- 
quently couldn’t meet the price of 
other, non-live music series. 

Producers tried to get Petrillo 
to relax his format which calls for 
stet price for musicians plus 5% 
either of the net time charges or 
of the gross of a show’, when 
AFM’s board met in Chicago last 
summer. Those present say the 
trouble w'as that different plans 
w'ere pitched by those In syndica- 
tion, producers and networks, and 
although one overall industry plan 
was eventually proposed, Petrillo 
took no action on the grounds that 
there were too many divergent 
views. 

Producers signed with the AFM 
expressed much relief at Petrillo’s 
new policy, saying it gives them 
an even break in the future against 
series those producers who have 
not inked AFM pacts. Of the more 
than 50 telefilmeries here, 28 are 1 
AFM pactees. I 


Col Sales Up 

Continued from page 51 


Victor Opens 
Tenn. Studios 

Nashville, Jan. 11. 

RCA Victor is opening its own 
recording studio here this month 
with Jeff Miller as chief record- 
ing engineer. Studio will be used 
both for cutting Victor's country 
and western artists and for the 
i company’s custom records divi- 
sion. 

G. B. Bennett will head up the 
custom records operation in Nash- 
ville for Victor.* He was formerly 
sales rep for the company in the 
Chicago area. From his Nashville 
headquarters, Bennett will cover 
11 southern stales for Victor. 


Col Distrib Outposts 

Reshuffled for ’55 

Columbia Records and its subsid 
labels, Epic and Okeh, reshuffled 
several of its distributor outposts 
for the new year. 

In the parent company’s orbit, 
Home Products Inc. was named to 
take over the distribution of Col's 
disks, phonographs and needles in 
the Cincinnati territory. Columbia 
Records Distributors of Cincy for- 
merly serviced the area. 


Frisco Mambo Mad 

San Francisco, Jan. 11. 

Frisco has suddenly gone mambo 
mad. 

Machito and his Afro-Cubans are 
currently at the Down Beat club; 
Chuy Reyes is at the new Mambo 
City, with Tito Puente scheduled 
for a Jan. 27 opening there; Cal 
Tjader and his Afro-Cubans is at 
the Macumba, and the Hurtado 
Bros, are at the Buccaneer. 


from the 20th C'riury Fox CmemaScopt 
Production "WOMAN'S WORLD" 


IT’S A 
WOMANS 
WORLD 


ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION 


four-disk workover of Brahms’ or- 
chestral works taking second 
place. Third spot went lo “L’En- 
fance du Christ” with Thomas 
Scherman conducting the Little 
Symphony Orchestra. 

Col’s big jump in the Instrument 
field is attributed to its expansion 
of its phonograph line with five 
new’ portable and table models, as 
well as its entry into the tape re- 
corder biz in collaboration with 
Bell Sc Howell. Col also started 
marketing a hi-fi component unit, 
an AM-FM tuner, and added a full 
phonograph needle line. 


SONGWRITERS! 

This is the opportunity you'va bean 
waiting, for. New radio and TV show 
SEARCH FOR A SONG* 
will plug professionally written, 
commercial unpublished popular 
tunes for Hie entire notion to 
hear aed sing! A hit song could 
be born on SEARCH FOR A SONG! 

Writ o for ro/oaso nowl 

C. & S. PRODUCTIONS 

P.O. Box 3923, N. Hollywood, Calif. 
*for '55 roloaso 


WILL OSBORNE 

AND HIS ORCH. 

Now 43rd Week 

New Golden Hotel, Reno 

* 

Mgt.: MILTON DIUTSCH 


L . y 


Another 


'Pin 


SINCERELY 


Recorded by 


THE M00NGL0WS . 

McGUIRE SISTERS 

billy FIELDS . . . . 

Published by ARC-REGENT MUSIC 


Chess 

Coral 


CORP. 




5E 







Wednesday, January 12, 1953 



On The Upbeat 


New York 

Norman Kosemont handling music • 
Demotion for Guy Lombardo . . . \ 
Tii .11 Records pacted concert pian- j 
ict Joseph Cordan for a longplay i 
H isk Gene Krupa & Trio began t 
a six week stand at the Last Fron- , 
tier. Las Vegas, Monday (10). New j 
personnel setup has Eddie Shu, , 
fax-trumpet; Bob Scott, piano; , 
John Drew, bass, and Krupa at the ( 
drums . • Mike Marmer joined , 
he Dixon Gayer publicity office ( 
Jack Teagarden inked for the t 
Colonial. Toronto, Feb. 7, and fol- , 
inus with the Rendezvous, Philly, 
Feb 14 . . • Irving Fields taken ill 
with rheumatic fever while at the 
prevue. Chicago. Art Engler 
stepped in . . . Janet Brace in town } 
today i Wed.) to cut four sides for ( 

Decca. „ . . .. \ 

Helene Aimee, thrush at the ( 

Viennese Lantern, waxed an LP 
for Benida Records . . . Sidney j 
Ascher Assoc, set up a Teen-Age 
Survey Service as an adjunct to its . 
public relations activities. Ruth ' 
Seal ye r heads up the new depart- ^ 
men! . . . The Four Coins, Epic 
Records' vocal combo, set for the 
Hotel Roosevelt, New Orleans, be- 
ginning March 3 for one month . . . 
Henry Tobias to the Coast on a ( 
combination biz-pleasure trek . . . ( 
Paul Siegel on a two-week deejay ( 
trek in the east and midwest push- . 
ing George Liberace’s Columbia ] 
release of “Madalena” . . . A1 Mor- j 
gan opens at El Cortez, Las Vegas, , 
tomorrow (Thurs.) . . . The Chor- . 
dettes began a week's engagement \ 
at Chubby’s, Camden. N. J., Mon- ] 
day < 1 0 ' . . . Winged Victory Chorus ] 
into the Beachcomber, Miami r 
Beach. Friday (14) for 10 days. 

Austin B. Sholes named director 
of sales for recorded tape division 
of Muzak . . . Henry Okun, disk 
consultant - promotion man, ap- 
pointed to board of directors of 
Newark’s Police Athletic League 
. . . The Gaylords, back in action 
after leader Burt Bonaldi’s recent 
illness, begin a two-week engage- 
ment at the Golden Hotel, Reno, 
tonight Wed.) . . . Pianist Jan Au- 
gust, into the Monte Cristo, Palm 
Beach. Fla., for nine days begin- 
ning Jan. 22 . . . Miami Beach’s 
Atlantic Towers Hotel shaping up 
as the southern annex of the Brill 
Bldg, with Charlie Tobias, Nat 
Simon, Sammy Stept and Alex 
Kramer vacationing there . . . Dick 
Linke. Capitol Recofds’ eastern 
promotion chief, on the road with 
Bob Manning. They’re due back 
in New York Jan. 24. 

Chicago 

David Carroll orch signed by 
MCA last week . . . Fred Waring 
in his first cafe engagement in 25 
years at the Sahara, Las Vegas, 
through Feb. 1 . . . New Chi 
dancery. the Ray Ballroom, opened 
New Year’s Eve with Jack Cavan 
orch . . . Bob Cross at the St. An- 
thony Hotel. San Antonio, till Feb. 

1 . . . Xavier Cugat set for the 
Roosevelt Hotel. New Orleans, 
Jan. 20 through Feb. 2 . . . Eddy 
Howard plays the International 
Amphitheatre in Chicago for the 
Boat Show Feb. 4-13 . . . Jimmy 
Richards orch current at the Auto 
Show. Chicago, through Jan. 16 
. . Abbey Albert now at the De- 
troit Statler indefinitely . . . Bill 
Clifford also indef at the Riverside, 
Reno . . . Dick La Salle now at 
the Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland, 
through Feb. 5. 

Hollywood 

Spinlt Records, new diskery, 
nows Jan. 17 with two new releases 
featuring Mimi Martell, Nfck Ther- 
r.v, Eddie LeBaron’s Orch and 
Clark Burroughs . . . Composer 
pster Lee and lyricist Ned Wash- 
ington have penned "Mama Mia” 
for Frankie Laine to warble in 
Col's ‘Here Comes the Bride” . . . 
*Jeri Sothern sets pact with Harold 
Jovien's Premiere Artists agency 

• . . Ray Rasch, UI studio pianist, 
m collaboration with lyricist Paul 
Francis Webster, penned a song, 

Snow Dream,” with both Capitol 
jmd Columbia diskeries cutting re- 
mases . , . Lazaar Weiners to com- 
pose background music for "Green 
fields," legiter opening late this 
Dionth at New Playhouse . . . Jerry 
tolonna inked deal with Major 
Records, N. Y., to release his "Let 
Me Go, Lover” and "I Want To 
Love ^ ou, Caria Mia.” 

VI Sendry wound up his arrang- 
k , f ,‘* 10rcs on Par's "Vagabond 
R ,n£ ! and heads for Vegas to prep 
i ‘ now Sands revue . . . Thrush 1 
•an Valerie back from Vegas and 
r "ninco stint with Tony Martin 

• Billy Gray’s Band Box Revue 
,! I , A °n a seven-night show policy,' 
M ’’u ? ,, ^ kcy Katz toplined . . . 

• •" nito & Orch set for a two-week 
611111 at Frisco's Down Beat Club 


before booking at Crescendo Jan. 
24 . . . Comic Fay De Witt set for 
a stint at the El Rancho, Vegas, 
followed by an April stay at the 
London Colony Club . . . Billy 
Ward & Dominoes, currently at 
the Mo, etched a Decca platter, 
with Jan. 16 set for release . . . 
Howard Davis will handle the ar- 
ranging chores for Irene Ryan's 
projected telefilms, "The Gay Lit- 
tle Spinsters” . . . MGM is re- 
releasing an old album tune. “Mel- 
ody of Love,” waxed in 1947 under 
the title of “Why Do I Love You,” 
and reissues it as a single. 

Scotland 

Current best-selling disk is 
Winifred Atwell’s “Let s Have An- 
other Party” on the Philips label, 
with David Whitfield in No. 2 posi- 
tion on Decca’s "Santa Natale” 
. . . Buddy Featherstonhaugh new 
leader of resident orch at Locarno, 
Edinburgh . . . Don Phillips, com- 
poser of the current hit tune. "Get 
Well Soon,” is pianist for Dickie 
Valentine at the Empire, Glasgow. 




‘Hit Parade’ Lineup 

(On Jan. 8 NBC-TV Show) 

1. Let Me Go, Lover. . . . H.&R. 

2. Mister Sandman ... Morris 

3. Teach Me Tonight. . . . Hub 

4. Count Blessings Berlin 

5. Naughty Lady Paxton 

6. Papa Loves Mambo. . . . S-B 

7. I Need You Now Miller 



Band Reviews 


London 

Columbia Records a&r man and 
conductor Ray Martin, left London 
on Sunday (9) for Copenhagen, to 
conduct two broadcasts by the 45- 
piece Danish State Orchestra . . . 
Bandleader Teddy Foster is re- 
forming his orch. Instrumentation 
will include a nine-brass section, 
and orch will be 21 strong . . . 
U. S. songwriter Eddie Pola is in 
London . . . Rosemary Clooney in 
line for a two-week booking at the 


London Palladium in June . . . 
Danny Kaye being dickered for a 
six weeks’ tour of Britain this sum- 
mer . . . Singer Ella Fitzgerald and 
pianist Oscar Peterson have been 
booked by Harold Fielding to give 
a concert at the Royal Albert Hall 
on Feb. 22. with subsequent ap- 
pearances at Bristol, Birmingham. 
Manchester. Sheffield, Newcastle, 
Dundee, Edinburgh, Leicester, etc. 

San Francisco 

Alto sax Jerry Dodgion, cur- 
rently at the Blue Lei, recorded 
his first album for Fantasy last 
week, using Gene Wright, bass; 
Lawrence Marable, .drums, and 
Sonny Clark, piano. Four sides 
were cut up with Johnny Markham 
on drums and Vince Guaraldi on 
piano . . . Harry James inked for 
a one-nighter Jan. 19 at El Patio 
. . . George Lewis’ New Orleans 
band does a one-nighter at the 
Hangover Club Sunday (16) . . . 
Kid Ory opens the Hangover, 
which has been closed since New 
Year’s on the annual vacation, Fri- 
day (14) for an indefinite stay . . . 
Zoot Sims Quartet opened Jan. 6 
at the Black Hawk . . . Sammy 
Blank at the Bella Pacifica . . . 
Buddy DeFranco planed to Aus- 
tralia Sunday (9) for a two-week 
tour . . . the Four Freshmen open 
at Fack’s Feb. 11. 


STEWART SCOTT ORCH (4) 

Hotel President. Kansas City. j 

Stewart Scott is by now a favor- ! 
| ite in the Drum Room of the Hotel 
President, this being his third an- 
nual stint over the holiday season 
and into the following new year. 
As before, he’s in with a versatile 
four-man crew, and he's offering 
changed stylings to meet the shift- 
j ing musical trends. 

Currently, the emphasis is on 
modern tunes, with much atten- 
tion to the progressive type pops. 

| where two years ago. on his first 
engagement, crew was almost 
straight “society.” This time the 
room policy is changed a bit, crew 
playing dinner music 7 to 9, and 
dance tempos 9 to 1. the dancing 
hour having been moved back from 
8:30 to thus hold off the tax bite 
a little later into the evening. 

While Scott carries much of the 
lead, largely on the violin early 
in the evening and more on the 
sax later, he as always has sur- 
rounded himself with versatile 
sidemen — Jess Conner at the piano. 
Ronnie Greer thumping bass, and 
Jack Lindholm on drums and tim- 
bales. From this assemblage Scott 
draws a great variety, weaving fre- 
quent mambos and other Latins 
into the current selections, taking 
a vocal slant himself now and 
then, and generally making the 
evening pleasant for listener and 
dancer. Quin. 


JIMMY BLADE ORCH (6) 

Drake Hotel, Chi 

When it closes the swank Ca- 
mellia House of this hotel next 
Feb. 4, the Jimmy Blade orch will 
have rounded out a three-year 
stand, longest run in this room 


since it opened in 1941. Blade is 
a former arranger for Wayne King, 
and two-thirds of his six-piece unit 
are former King sidemen. 

Orch has an extensive library 
of standards and current pops and 
lays down a subdued but lively 
sound with dignity, as befits the 
class surroundings. Maestro runs 
the keys nimbly and distinctively 
against two violins, which have a 
softening effect, a drum, bass and 
a single saxophone for body. Music 
is fluid and lyrical, inclined to be 
bouncy rather than swingy on the 
uptunes, and makes for easy listen- 
ing and dancing. Blade has penned 
a kind of slow-tempo mambo, 
"Camelliana,” which fills the 
Latino need nicely and which is 
about as boisterous as the unit can 
afford to get. 

Danceability of the group is 
attested every set by the throng 
of couples who hit the floor. 


New Decca Disk From 

London to Chi Jock 

London, Jan. 11. 

A recording of the "Theme 
from Journey into Space” was 
planed to Chicago last week for 
use by Johnnie Desmond in his 
deejay program which, in recent 
weeks, has been featuring space 
noises. The disk, released by 
Decca last Monday <3», was flown 
to the U.S. on the same day. 

The recording is based on a re- 
cent BBC sound program series 
for which music was especially 
composed by Van Phillips. The 
music is published by Peter Mau- 
rice and the recording is by Frank 
Weir’s orch. 



1 


J 








Exclusive Management and 
Representation Throughout the World 

LEW & LESLIE GRADE LTD 

REGENT HOUSE 

235-241 REGENT STREET 


LONDON, W. I. ENGLAND 


Telephones: Regent 5821-2-3-4 


Regent 5592-3-4 






58 


VAUDEVILLE 


USRIETY 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


Top Names Can t Hello Diners 
Under Miami Anti-Mixing Proposal 


Miami, Jan. 11. 

Miami city commission last week 
voted a drastic new ordinance 
aimed at outlawing B-girls. The 
law was so worded that all female 
performers — stars, featured acts or 
chorus girls — are forbidden to 
“fraternize” with patrons in clubs 
where they are engaged, and also 
forbids males and femmes from 
taking a drink in the establishment 
in which they are working. 

In answer to a query on how 
this stringent measure would ap- 
ply to such names as Sophie Tuck- 
er. Tony Martin, Milton Berle, et 
al.. Mayor Aronovitz made it clear 
that they are "performers ... if 
they don’t like it, that’s their busi- 
ness.” 

The original B-Girl law, invoked 
last October, required listing on 
checks of patrons buying, the 
amount of drinks consumed by an 
employee with a stop limit of 10, 
and also required pouring of the 
exact liquor ordered. Appeal to 
Circuit Court here by operators of 
the Jungle Club, a strippery, saw 
ruling against certain sections of 
the ordinance and injunction 
granted. 

The drastic new measure is con- 
fined only to Miami and does not 
apply to Miami Beach — where the 
majority of plush clubs and hotel- 
cafes are located — or to other 
municipalities in Dade County. Af- 
fected most by the new law will be 
the Clover Club and the Vaga- 
bonds. last remaining biggeries in 
the city. Vagabonds Club raises 
another controversial issue — the 
quartet are partners in the opera- 
tion. The question raised is: are 
owners included under the wording 
of the ordinance? 

Some members of the city com- 
mission conceded* that the measure 
is harsh, but voted for it despite 


, their misgivings. Mayor Arono- 
vitz has been the spearhead in re- 
form movements since he took of- 
fice. The new ban is certain to be 
appealed by cafe ops shortly; it 
w'ent into effect Saturday (8). 

Early Matinee Bid 
By Gotham leer 

The early matinee idea on days 
when lots of moppet trade is avail- 
able is on the upbeat. It’s particu- 
larly true in the shows which play 
arenas and auditoriums, where 
tremendous markets must be tapped 
in order to come out ahead. 
Latest to go for the early matinee 
business is the "Hollywood Ice Re- 
vue," going into Madison Square 
Garden. N. Y., Thurs. (13) through 
Feb. 2. Layout will go for 7 p.m. 
evening shows on Sundays and an 
earlier matinee. 

The major success with the 
matinee displays came during the 
recent Roy Rogers Rodeo run. On 
one day they were able to get in 
three shows for a gate of more 
than $50,000. 

With the early show gimmick, 
Garden can get more suburban 
trade as well as more kid admis- 
sions. Customers from outlying 
districts are able to make an ear- 
lier train which has been a con- 
siderable inducement, particularly 
when kids axe kept up a little later 
than usual. 

The plan is working out in other 
cities. Boston has found the accent 
on matinees to pay off, as has Phil- 
adelphia. Other major cities will 
i also experiment with earlier shows 
j this season. 


Cornell’s Big Lineup 

Of Brit. Vaude Dates 

Glasgow, Jan. 4. 

Don Cornell will have a fairly 
extensive lineup of vaude dates at 
key British centres following his 
United Kingdom bow at the Em- 
pire Theatre March 21. 

After a week in Glasgow, he will 
top at the Empire, Edinburgh, on 
March 28, then at the Empire vaud- 
eries at Newcastle, Manchester, 
Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham and 
Finsbury Park. His last skedded 
date is week of May 16 at the Hip- 
podrome, Coventry. 

The Empires in Edinburgh and 
Glasgow are his only two Scot 
dates. Interest in the Cornell visit 
is being whipped up by his disk 
“Hold My Hand,” a bestseller here. 


ABRAMSON SET TO BOOK 
ITALIAN, GREEK LINERS 

Nat Abramson, head of the WOR 
Artists Bureau, has been signed to 
book the cruises on the Italian 
liner Homeric, which arrives in the 
U. S. Feb. 11, and on the Greek 
liner Queen Frederika. The Ho- 
meric will have an entertainment 
complement of 26, including the 
band. It’s a former Matson liner 
with new engines installed and re- 
fitted in Italy. The Fi-ederika is 
the former Atlantic. 

Abramson is also booking two 
cruises on the lie de France and 
will set the talent on the Nieuw 
Amsterdam, which will take off in 
March for a 56-day cruise in the 
Mediterranean. Entertainers on 
that trip will get return trip tick- 
ets if they elect to work or tour in 
Europe at completion of that tour. 


Jackie Bright, president of the 
American Guild of Variety Artists, 
doubled on Monday (10) between 
the show at Grossinger’s, Fern- 
dale. N. Y., and as a juror in the 
N. Y. Supreme Court. 


★ 

. ★ 

NICHOLAS 

BROTHERS 

INTERNATIONAL DANCING SENSATIONS 

Just Completed 

HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT IN MEXICO CITY 

Currently 

ON TOUR IN EUROPE and NORTH AFRICA 

★ 

★ 

Direction: ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORP. 

745 5th Ave., New York, N. Y. 


I 


Ellington Teeing ’55 

Vaude in Reading, Pa. 

Reading, Pa., Jan. 11. 

Duke Ellington and his orchestra 
will tee off the 1955 vaude season 
here at the 2,100-seat Rajah The- 
atre with a two-day engagement 
Friday and Saturday (14-15). 

This marks a return for C. G. 
Keeney, local promoter, who an- 
nounced he will present a name 
band once a month. Four shows 
are scheduled for Friday and five 
on Saturday. The scale is 50c be- 
fore 5 p. m. and 50c to $1 after 5. 


2d ‘Capades’ Co. 

For Arena Tours 

Chicago. Jan. 11. | 

A second company of “Ice Ca- 
pades” will tour arenas and audi- 
toriums next season. New label 
will be “Ice Capades National Co.” 
The second layout will be the for- 
mer “Ice Cycles” company, and a 
new' edition of "Cycles” will be 
cast. 

For the past two years, “Ice 
Capades” has been drawing big- 
ger grosses than ever, and third 
company to be produced bv John 
H. Harris. Pittsburgh showman, in 
partnership with a group of arena j 
operatoi^, is seen as an expansion 
move. It’s anticipated that icers 
will have a bigger year than usual 
this season. 

"Cycles” was originally started , 
as a junior edition of “Ice Ca- } 
pades” for exhibition in towns that 
couldn’t support the bigger “Ice 
Capades.” However, in time, pro- 
duction costs caught up with “Cy- 
cles” so that the nut was about the 
same as the larger troupe, and thus 
"Cycles” had to look for top towns 
for support. Thus the step to ex- 
pand “Ice Capades” into two com- 
panies seems a logical move at this 
time, in view' of similar produc- 
tion costs and increasing gate for 
icers. 

At the same time, many cities 
have been building large arenas 
and auditoriums, many as war me- 
morials. This has increased the 
amount of playing time available, 
and has opened a new market for 
larger shows. Thus Hams and the 
arena owners feel that there is a 
market for a second large show, 
and "Ice Cycles” will probably pick 
up the playing time it was original- 
ly designed for. 


FROZEN ‘PAN’ TOPPER 
OF 1955 ‘ICE CAPADES’ 

Hollywood. Jan. 11. 

Frozen version of "Peter Pan” 
will highlight the 1955 edition of 
“Ice Capades,” bowing July 22 in 
Atlantic City after rehearsals here. ! 
Rights were secured from the J 
James M. Barrie estate by Pro- 
ducer John H. Harris for a 22- | 
minute ice capsule. Donna At- j 
wood will star in the title role. 

Show' is also to use the Kirby : 
flying ballet last seen here in the j 
Mary Martin production of “Pan.” j 
Harris tried out the flying bal- i 
let a few years ago in a few en- 
gagements at Madison Square Gar- 
den, N.Y., to determine whether 
the special equipment was adapta- 
ble for auditoria. Current edition 
of the blade show' returns to L A. 
May 5 for 18 days at the Pan 
Pacific Aud. Rehearsals start 
thereafter for the new show'. 

Meanwhile a deal haA been set 
for Miss Atwood to make her nitery 
bow’ at the Flamingo Hotel, Las 
Vegas, next June, while the show 
vacations between 1954-55 editions. 
Deal for a six-w’eek stand was set 
by the Flamingo’s dance director, 
Ron Fletcher, who also stages 
“Capades.” Miss Atwood will star 
in an ice version of George Gersh- 
win’s "American In Paris.” 


Com’l TV to Nick 
Brit. Vaude B. 0. 

British television, which goes 
commercial soon, Is expected to 
cut into variety revenues, accord- 
ing to Val Parnell, managing di- 
rector of the London Palladium 
and the Moss Empires Theatres. 
Parnell said that although tele- 
vision hasn’t cut into theatrical 
revenue thus far, it’s expected to 
do so when commercial program- 
ming starts. In the first place, he 
said, the viewers will have the 
choice of a second program, which 
they do not have now'. Again, many 
stars will be available on the new 
medium, and thirdly, Parnell said, 
people will be buying sets on cred- 
it. and will probably eschew thea- 
tres until the sets are paid for. 

However, Parnell held out to the 
theory that the people will soon be 
tired of video, and will resume 
theatrical attendance. 

Parnell has hopes that this will 
be an excellent year at the Palla- 
dium. The vaude season will be 
longer than last year, starting 
March 28 with Eddie Fisher, and 
going into August. Last season, va- 
riety ended in May when the Nor- 
man Wisdom show came into that 
house. 

So far, Parnell’s only pactee is 
Fisher. Others are being negotiated 
for. A deal had been on for Ethel 
Merman in February, but that fell 
through. Deals are on with several 
disk names, and it’s expected that 
some will be concluded shortly. 

Parnell will return to England 
end of the week. While in the 
U. S., he’s headquartering at the 
Lew & Leslie Grade Agency in 
New' York. 


CURRENTLY: 

Henry Grady Hotel 

Atlnn+n dn 



and 


MR. CHIPS 

Direction: MILO STELT 

MUTUAL ENTERTAINMENT 
AGENCY. INC. 

203 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, III. 
Hollywood • Cleveland 


GABY de LYS 

Sensational Subtle 

Stripper 

EXOTIC PRIMA BALLERINA 

e CARMEN— Phil Dtc. till 

e EL REY— Oakland. .. Dec. 31-Jan.11 
e San Francisco T 

e Los Angolas T 
e Las Vogas r 

Contact DICK HENRY 
1733 B'way., N. Y. JU 3 001* 


WHEN IN BOSTON 

Ift the 

HOTEL AVERY 

The Home of Show Polk 

Avery & Washington St*. 


" The Voice with the 
Magic Spell" 

TONY 

DRAKE 


Walter Winched 

Curtain Calls: "Tony Drake, the Pal- 
ace show-stopper . . .” 

Frank Quinn, N. Y. Mirror 

“A triumphant debut was made bv 
tenor Tony Drake at the Palace. Ac- 
claimed by both critics and patrons, 
he is being interviewed for a possible 
role in a forthcoming Paramount mu- 
sical." 

Donton Walker, N. Y. Daily News 

"Tony Drake, getting his first hi* 
break at the Palace is of Mario Lanza 
material." 


Variety 

“Tony Drake has the earmarks of a 
romer. He has a clear and powerful 
tenor voice and shows ability at selling 
a song. Physically of the Mario l.anza- 
Kichard Tucker school of tenors, he 
has a nice friendly manner and the 
audience is with him from the begin- 
ning. He switches easily from the 
operatic to the semi-classical and pop- 
ular." 

Loo Mortimer, N. Y. Mirror 

"Tony Drake Is a cinch to reach the 
heights. He’s a big-voiced tenor who 
belts like Mario Lanza and I betetaa 
he’ll hit the Copa within a year.” 


Frank Farrell, 

N. Y. World-Telegram & Sun 

"Tony Drake who got his first pro- 
fessional break in the Catskills this 
Summer landed the Palace stage as- 
signment with feature billing." 

New York Journal-Amerlcan 

"The cradle of stars, the Palace The- 
atre, is launching a new voice which 
has been heralded as the greatest since 
Mario Lanza," 

Irene Tkirer, New York Post 


“Tony Drake. 28-year-old tenor, 
makes his Broadway debut as Palace 
vaudeville headliner." 


Currently, FRANK PALUMBO’S Philadelphia 

Contact: GARY WAGNER ASSOC., 161 Wost 57th St., Now York Clrclo 6-9470 





Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


59 



- : : 

■ : 


Bb logon t* o* h*r fwncutable tal 


Now: Terrace Room, Staffer Hotel 
Los Angeles 


Opening February 18: Beverly Hills 
Country Club, Covington, Kentucky 


Opening March 17: Persian 
Room, Plaza Hotel, 

New York 


"File Logan, four fool eleven 

is staying '«« «» Staffer . 


i&W&iiii. 

wiyV/A/X 

SwKvKvAW 

■ 

•y.ysyY.ys.yy. 


wXvm 




Recently completed: Film 
version of "Finian's Rainbow 
for D.C.A. 


Out next week: New Capitol 
album — Ella Logan sings 
favorites from "Finian't 
Rainbow 1 ' 


■syy/.-.yy.y/ 


mm. 








VAUDEVILLE 



Wednesday, January 12, 1955 






Personal Representative: M.C.A. ARTISTS, LTD. 


TON ARDEN 


Night Club Reviews 


Latin Ounrlor, \.Y. 

Lou Walters presentation o 
"Paris a la Mode," with Johnnie 
Ray, Chiquita & Johnson, Wiere 
Bros. <3> with Mildred Seymour, 
Bas Sheva, Seven Ashtons, Melo- 
dears, Harmoneers, Jessica Haist, 
Clarissa, Line. Staged by Natalie 
Kamarova; costumes, Ottmar Gaul ; 
arrangements, George Kamaroff. 
Art Waner & Buddy Harlowe 
Orchs; $6 minimum. 

Lou Walters has started off the 
new year with a burst of splendor, 
both in name value and budget-be- 
hanged attitude in relation to cos- 
tumes and production trappings. 
The Ziegfeldian extravagance, as 
usual, is expected to add up to the 
kingsized grosses that have become 
customary at this Broadway show- 
spot. 

Walters is in a position virtually 
unique in cafe annals. His 
Latin Quarter is able to garner a 
lot of business, being virtually 
without competition in the Broad- 
way area. Yet, he invests upwards 
of 50Gs in a new show every so 
often, and with a new layout, puts 
in a ranking name. Walters is wise 
enough to realize that despite his 
comparatively secure situation, he 
must create interest in the cafe 
field in general and the Latin 
Quarter in particular. This kind 
of show’ will do both. 

For headliner value, Johnnie 
Ray is sufficient to add extra 
polish to the boxoffice. Ray, mak- 
ing his first N.Y. cafe stand away 
from the east side, is a performer 


WEEK 


VIRGINIA 

PARKER 

The Neptune Room 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 


who is assured, and can whip up a 
lot of audience frenzy. Ray has in- 
creased his stature with his ap- 
pearance in 20th-Fox’s “There’s 
No Business Like Show Business,” 
which is concurrent with his LQ 
run. He is an unusual performer, 
as he doles out gaiety in his revi- 
valist way. He sings as if it’s his 
mission in life. It’s a dedicated 
kind of song that now transcends 
the weeping style that catapulted 
him to bigtime. 

Of course, he reprises tjie early 
disclicks, "Cry” and "Little White 
Cloud,” and has added a retinue 
of tunes that keep him, as well as 
the joint, in a jumping mood. Even 
when his songs express a happy 
thought, the intensity of his ex- 
pression leads observers to be- 
lieve that he’s weeping through. 
Nevertheless, his 30-minute stint 
is greeted with top hands. The ap- 
plause is loud after numbers and 
especially after his routine. 

The other top acts are also of 
headliner status. The Wiere Bros. 
(3), assisted by Mildred Seymour 
at the piano, have an entertaining 
turn. As chat, they seem to have 
slowed up because of a certain 
looseness in their performance. 
Despite this, they entertain all the 
way. Their comedy fiddling and 
Assorted antics are productive of 
excellent results. 

Another top turn is Chiquita & 
Johnson, with a terrific blend of 
aero and terps. They display 
some of the most dazzling tricks in 
the ballroom lexicon. The male 
handles the well-built femme in a 
manner that brings out heavy 
salvos. The lifts and spins are 
enough to keep audience attention 
at fever pitch. 

Bas Sheva, an Israeli chirper, 
has a flair for drama, but she fre- 
quently lets the histrionics lead 
her to melodramatic depths. Ren- 
ditions of "Caravan” and "Man 
that Got Away” are in that idiom. 

The Seven Ashtons continue 
, here. They were out for a while 
but a member of the substituting 
act got hurt and they resumed at 
their old stand. It’s one of the 
more thrilling turns in the busi- 
ness, and the best risley act seen 
anywhere. 

Clarissa does the production 
dancing in a charming manner. 
The major production number de- 
pict a style show of the future 
and a colorful Rumanian number, 
with Bas Sheva and Jessica Haist 
in the vocal spots. The costuming 
in both numbers is extremely 
lush. More production singing is 
the femmes tagged as the Melo- 
dears. They show a rich blend of 
' harmonics. Jose. 


CAB CALLOWAY 

Currently 

GOLDEN HOTEL 

RENO, NEVADA 

Mgt. BILL MITTLER, 1619 Broadway, Now York 


Uhez Part*e, Chi 

Chicago. Jan. 4. 

George Jessel, Joyce Bryant, 
Terry Sisters (3), Brian Farnon 
Orch; $1.50 cover, $3.75 minimum. 

Playing his first Chi nitery date 
in some 21 years — and then only 
to sub for his ailing chum, Joe E. 
Lewis — George Jessel should have 
this room packed to the rafters 
night after night during his three- 
framer. He’s not only bringing in 
the regulars and the younger 
cabaret contingent, but some of 
the oldtimers as well, who appar- 
ently have given up such nighttime 
diets. It’s understood the Chez 
management has asked Jessel to 
return for another date in 1955. i 

What this "old trouper” does 
onstage, by his own argument, is 
not an act but a kind of random 
raconteuring such as he’s been 
known tor in his frequent speech- 
making chores. By any name his 
stint is choice entertainment for 
this room, executed with a casual j 
building to punchlines and a con- j 
genial warmth that make the yocks 
flow thick and fast with nary a 
letdown. 

His humor lies largely in the J 
telling of little tales, and he tells I 
them exceedingly well, with some i 
good-natured chauvinism and | 
plenty of Yiddish dialect. In the 
course he reflects on his lengthy 
showbiz career in capsule, dares 
to get openly political, and pays 
sentimental tribute in song to such 
vaude kingpins as A1 Jolson and 
Eddie Cantor. By the end of 35 
minutes it’s evident that he has 
hours of bellylaugh material to 
spare, but he begs off in a clatter 
of applause. 

Joyce Bryant, also a pinchhitter 
(for Peggy Lee, sidelined by 
surgery) wows ’em with a pliant 
and vibrant voice in her Windy 
City cafe debut. Sepia singer 
makes the utmost of a ballad, fluc- 
tuating from tremolo to whisper 
tones whenever apropos and belt- 
ing for punctuation. When she 
takes an uptune, everything on her 
frame that isn’t nailed down goes 
into rhythmic action which, con- 
sidering that she’s nothing lacking 
for sex appeal, isn’t hard for the j 
eyes to digest against her slinky 
gown. 

Terry Sisters, a threesome of 
muscular but attractive acro-danc- 
ers, dish up a series of unison 
cartwheels and backflips to music 
for good returns in the opening 
slot. Brian Farnon orch cuts a 
nice show, per usual, and draws 
the couples onto the floor for the 
dance sets. Les. 

Sahara, Las Yogas 

Las Vegas, Jan. 6. 

Fred Waring Show, with Penn- 
sylvanians and Glee Club (34); no 
cover or minimum. 


Fred Waring presents his own 
revue in a sparkling 75-minute 
show that must rate as a musical 
high for a nitery. Whether this 
uplifting type of show will draw' 
satisfactorily is a moot point and 
whether those attending are casino 
habitues also leaves a question in 
mind. But standing on its own, 
the four-week presentation is as 
worthy show-wise as anything ever 


presented on the Strip. This would 
have been a natural for the Xmas 
holidays, give and take a few 
carols. Between a revival ses- 
sion, a patriotic rally and minstrel 
offerings. Waring, a master show- 
man, isn’t stingy with dispensing 
I the talents of the 34 members of 
; his company that includes the 18- 
► man orch that doubles in brass on 
vocals with the glee club. The 
Pennsylvanians, with plenty of 
strings to augment the braas, play 
for Waring as did the Pennsylvan- 
ians of two decades ago. In fact, 
still along to entertain is percus- 
sionist Polie McClintick, one of 
the organizers of the group. 

The show opens with full-scale 
j vocals in American folk songs fea- 
turing "Across the Wide Missouri” 
and "Barefoot,” with the bucolic 
costumes in proper character. A 
group of sacred songs segue to 
Negro spirituals and features Frank 
Davis, who steals honors for the 
show in a moving musical sermon 
and who then leads the company 
in "Deep River” and “Give Me 
That Old Time Religion.” 

Lagging is discernible in a few' 
spots as the sacred and spiritual 
j songs emerge in succession as 
deeper studies than the rest of 
j the program. But the minstrel 
| show picks things up considerably 
as the interlocutor introes various 
; solo members in song spots with 
the flamboyantly typical costumes 
of the minstrels providing a nice 
nostalgic touch. There’s a lullaby 
department as the six femme sing- 
ers surround the harpist in a nice 
rendition of “Sail, Baby, Sail.” 
Waring exhibits a nice touch of 
comedy as he leads an assault on 
the opera that features the 
“Swanee River Quartet From Rigo- 
letto.” Bass player Lumpy Bran- 
nan narrates an alcoholic expedi- 
tion and sounds like George 
Gobels, as he earns yocks galore. 
"Dry Bones” calls for plenty of 
odd sound effects and at the fin- 
ish of the opus the audience joins 
Waring in "Battle Hymn Of the 
Republic,” in a manner that leaves 
no doubt the show is a winner, for 
all that the selection may be more 
fitting in a Salvation Army Mission 
rather than a nitery finale. The 
whole package adds up to solid 
show business. Bob. 

Flamingo, La* Yoga* 

Las Vegas. Jan. 2. 

-Tony Martin (With Hal Borne), 
Goofers (5), Costello Twins, Inter- 
ludes (5), Ron Fletcher Dancers 
& Flamingo Starlets (12), Teddy 
Phillips Orch (15>; no cover or 
minimum. 

In a battle with dat old debbil 
flu Tony Martin must, perforce, 
save his voice from over-exertion 
and in the first shows of his month- 
long stand the star, as a result 
not as vibrant as in previous en- 
gagements, is nonetheless as mag- 


the pipes do not ring out except 
on a couple of occasions, such as 
in "There’s No Tomorrow” and 
"Brigadoon.” It’s a mellow' Martin 
who caresses a note or a phrase 
in superb show’man fashion arid 
succeeds in bringing down the 
house during his 40-minute stint. 
Hal Borne is hisf longtime efficient 
piano accomper. 

Martin appears in the finale with 
his tv singing quintet, the Inter-' 
ludes, and the Flamingo Starlets 
for a song and terp version of 
the score of "Brigadoon,”/ that’s 
a sparkling finish. The Goofers, 
a daffy quintet of acrobatic musi- 
cians and singers, play instruments 
from a swinging trapeze and other- 
i wise garner laughs with stunts and 
numbers that leave the audience 
yelling for more. 

The Costello Twins are blonde 
spinning lovelies in a brief turn 
that pleases, as fast routines are 
climaxed by splits and leaps. The 
girls are easy on the eyes, too. 

Bob. 

DiLido ll.« Miami llVIi 

Miami Beach, Jan. 8. 

Cross & Dunn, Tad Lawrie, 
Wally Wanger Line (7), Barbara 
Ann Sharma, Martin & Maio , 
Fausto Curbello Orch ; $3 food or 
bev. minimum. 

Reunited after several years’ 
separation, Cross & Dunn top a 
lively two-week bill in the Moulin 
Rouge of this big downtow'nery, 
working in the smooth manner that 
always stamped their work. 

Special material dominates their 
act, the lyric ideas cleverly worded 
and delivered in effortless style, 
j Blending is intelligent, w’ith mix- 
ture containing a sound takeoff on 

$ 

(Continued on page 62) 


COMEDY MATERIAL 

For All Branches of Theatricals 

FUN-MASTER 

THE ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ GAG FILE 
(The Service of the STARS) 

First 13 Files $7.00-AII 35 issues $25 
Singly; S1.0S per script. 

• 3 Bits. PARODIES, per book $10 • 

• MINSTREL BUDGET $25 • 

• 4 BLACKOUT BKS., ea. bk. $25 • 

• BLUE BOOK (Gags for Stags) $50 • 
HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES 

$3.00 

GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA 
OF GAGS, $300. Worth over a thousand 
No C.O.D.'a 

BILLY GLASON 

200 W. 54th St., New York 10— Dept. V 
l Circle 7-1130 


Young man, 27, single, good show- 
bis head, press agent background, 
now seeking position with personal 
mgr. or allied fields. Resume. 

Write Box 360, Variety, 

1 54 W. 46th St., N.Y. 36.N.Y. 


SIBYL BOWAN 

SEVILLE THEATRE — Montreal, Canada 

January 13 

Management: MATTY ROSEN 


ERICA’S DRAMATIC SONG STYLIST 


HEADLINING 

4 WEEKS AT 

DESERT INN 

Las Vegas, Nevada 
OPENING JANUARY 18 th 





VAUDEVILLE 


61 


e«1ne§«1ay, January 12, 1955 


Heat On at Chi North Side in Polit. War; 
Cops Hurt as Big Conventions Open 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

The heat is on in Chicago’s Near 
North Side, and niteries concen- 
trated in this area are caught in 
the squeeze of stricter law enforce- 
ment, a byproduct of the fierce 
Democratic mayoralty primary 
battle being fought here. With the 
city at the peak of its convention 
activity, local clubs are feeling the 
pinch as police make it harder to 
separate the conventioneer from 
his loot. 

Both the furniture convention, 
year’s largest in this town, and the 
imto show are being held here si- 
multaneously. Local fun spots 
look to make their biggest killing 
at this time, but this year it’s dif- 
ferent. Most of the Windy City’s 
night life is jammed together in 
an area just 10 minutes north of 
the Loop, and as soon as conven- 
tioneers unpack their bags they 
rush north to shower sheckles into 
the hands of club operators. "26” 
dice girls, waiters, checkroom 
girls, bartenders and car-hops. This 
year, they’re all crying the blues. 

The plush nite spots in this 
town are packed in this Near 
North bailiwick, mostly along Rush 
St. Most of the strip joints (skin | 
shows) are just three blocks west 
on Clark St. They are all included 
in the East Chicago Ave, police 
district, a captain’s plum. Mayor 
Martin Kennelly, just before New 

(Continued on page 64) 

GAC Signs to Book WLW’s 
Country & Western Acts 

WLW (Cincinnati) country & 
western talent will be booked by 
General Artists Corp. Radio and 
tele station signed a pact with the 
agency for representation of its 
acts in all phases of show business. 
Most of the acts, however, will be 
booked at fairs. 

Art Weems, GAC veepee, and 
Ken Smith, head of the talent di- 
vision of WLW Promotions Inc., a 
WLW subsid, inked the contract 
recently in Cincinnati. 



New Lanin Department 
For Industrial Shows 


The Howard Lanin Agency has 
set up a special productions de- 
partment to handle industrial 
shows. The Lanin office is the 
latest to go in for staging pro- 
grams for industry. With growth of 
closed-circuit teevee and with a 
greater accent on employer-em- 
ployee relations, industrial shows 
are becoming an important source 
of revenue for agencies. 

Myron A. Lanin will head the 
| new department, lie’s a veepee in 
the outfit. 

Vegas Frontier 

Sold for $4,000,000 

Las Vegas, Jan. 11. 

Last Frontier -Hotel’s general 
manager, Jake Kozloff, last week 
completed negotiations to sell the 
hotel to three Beverly Hills, Cal., 
investors. The sale involves more 
than $4,000,000, which includes 
the mortgage, purchased from the 
Griffith Theatre interests of Texas, 
former owner of the hotel. In- 
cluded in the sale is 80^ of the 
stock. The buyers are Stanley S. 
Leeds, Irving J. Leff and Maurice 
H. Friedman. 

In addition to Kozloff, others dis- 
posing of their stock are Murray 
Randolph, Arthur Brick, Bob Kro- 
loff and Max Wittus. Beldon Kat- 
leman, owner of Hotel El Rancho 
Vegas, is retaining his 20^ interest 
in the corporation. Conditions of 
the sale are that the Nevada State 
Tax Commission must approve the 
new owner. Kozloff has been re- 
tained as general manager, al- 
though he will have no contract. 



Friars to Honor M & L 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis 
are to be honored March 11 by the 
N.Y. Friars Club at a testimonial 
dinner highlighting the Friars’ 
Golden Jubilee. 

Tribute, to be held at the Waldorf- 
Astoria, will mark the first time 
the org has honored the team, or : 
any comedians of their generation. 

Yates, Ever a Pro, 
Passes Away On 
Cal. Golf Course 

By JOE COHEN 

"There’s a lot of money to be 
made in vaudeville, and if I had my 
old strength again, I could show 
you how r it can be done.” So said 
Charles V. Yates a month ago. 
Unfortunately, the formula by 
which he could make vaude and 
niteries pay off to a greater extent 
went with him on Sunday (9>, when 
he died on a golf course at Palm 
Springs. Cal., while in the company 
of Bob Hope, his friend and client 
of many years. 

Yates, 52. had suffered two heart 
attacks in the past few years, and 
about two weeks ago he entered a 
hospital for a checkup. 

Yates, even though he had been ill, 
ill, continued to explore the unusual 
paths of show biz. His major client, 
aside from Hope and Bea Lillie, was 
Christine Jorgensen, and he had 
hopes of building her into a per- 
sonality that would transcend the 
freak headlines associated with 
her. He had been routing hillbilly 
units from WSM, Nashville, and 
had been enthusiastic about open- 
ing a lot of time with the cornfed 
crooners. 

In a field in which competition 
is so keen that one agent regards 
another as a natural enemy, Yates 
was probably the best liked. Prior 
to his illnesses, he was one of the 
most active gagsters. In his horse- 
betting days, he would tell friends 
that he had enough information to 

(Continued on page 64) 


Personal Management Field Growing; 
See More Gain With Cleanup of Abuses 



Nam<* Policy to Stick 


With Oakland Spot 

San Francisco, Jan. 11. 

The Sands Ballroom, formerly 
Linn’s, in Oakland, is currently 
booking in names and semi-names 
on a weekend only basis and doing 
okay with the new policy. 

Mel Torme started the new idea 
there before Christmas and has 
been followed by Margaret Whit- j 
ing. Cab Calloway plays the spot 
for three days beginning Jan. 14; 
the Sportsmen take over next 
week. Ballroom operates on an 
admission charge and works the j 
visiting names with the house orch. 

Cuba’s San Souci 
Resumes Action 

( 

Havana, Jan. 11. 

Sans Souci, one of Havana’s Big 
Three niteries, has reopened after 
being closed since last May. Ex- j 
tensive renovations in the Spanish- 
villa-style nitery are expected to 
cost about $300,000 when com- 
pleted. These include an indoor 
area to be used in rainy weather 
and an airconditioning system. 

Reopening of the nitery was 
scheduled earlier in December, but 
was postponed several times due 
to incompleteness of rebuilding. 
Early in the evening of New Year’s 
Eve workers were still busy put- 
ting in finishing touches. 

Only mishap of the night oc- 
curred when the area’s lighting ( 
system blacked out for two hours, i 
Candles were placed on tables. 

Norman Rothman continues as 
manager. Social director is Ben 
Krakover. In charge of the game 
room is Eddie Cellini, whose broth- 
er holds the same post at the rival 
Tropicana. Back with the nitery 
after several years is Carlyle, who 
produces the shows. 


Personal management of acts, 
like the agency business, has un- 
dergone terrific changes during the 
past few years. The management 
enterprises have become increas- 
ingly important as the agencies 
have become larger, and the indie 
agents are being pushed out of the 
way. As result, acts have had to 
retain personal managers in order 
to make some headway, not only 
within their own agencies, but 
within the business. 

Another factor that makes per- 
sonal management decisive in ca- 
reers of talent is the extremely 
keen competition for work. With 
employment opportunities becom- 
ing limited in many fields, the old 
methods of building acts have be- 
come obsolete. Even diskings no 
longer provide the tomplete an- 
swer to the rise of talent. This 
has become evident by the fact 
that there are certain categories of 
acts that rise with a hot disk and 
fall away when the Fieat goes off 
that waxing. 

As result of the greater com- 
plexities of the business, personal 
managements seem to become very 
important. Of late years, this kind 
of management has become big 
business. For example. Gabbe, Lutz 
&i Heller, Bullets Durgom, The Lou 
(Continued on page 64) 

Burlesk Comic Moore Is 
Badly Hurt in Car Smash 

Pittsburgh, Jan. 11. 

Benny Moore, vet burlesque 
comic, is laid up at the Wheeling, 
W. Va., hospital with a skull frac- 
ture and two broken legs as result 
of an auto accident. Moore, after 
playing the Casino here, was on 
his way to the Coast for eight 
weeks of bookings when a truck 
ran into his car. 

He’ll be laid up for some time 
yet, and may not be able to work 
again for the remainder of the 
season. 



CHRISTINE 

JORGENSEN 


STILL A! 


CA’S # 1 

Bl 

9X 0 


)E A 

TTRACTION 


Currently Appearing 

TO D0R0THY-A SON” 

EMPRESS PLAYHOUSE 

St . Louis 

* 


Exclusive Management: 

YATES ARTIST CORPORATION 

565 Fifth Avtnuo, Now York 
Publicity: FRANCES E. KAYE A Co. 




62 


VAUDEVILLE 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 



Personal Management: JACK ROLLINS 


Diruction: MCA 


WILL 

JORDAN 


365 


Bimbo 9 * ODO Club 

1025 COLUMBUS AVE., SAN FRANCISCO 

January 6, 1955 

Dear Will: 

Thanks to you, all attendance 
records were broken during your 
engagement here at the 365 Club, 

Hope you will return at an 
early date. 

Sincerely, 

A. Giuntoli 

AG :e 


Guest Starring 
JANUARY 18th 

MARTHA 

RATE 

SHOW 


Tkank you HAL ORAUDIS 
for throo wonderful wookt at fke 

THUNDERBIRD, Las Vegas 

Currently 

GOLDEN SLIPPER 
Long Island, New York 

Opening January 18th 

FONTAINEBLEAU, Miami 

MERCURY ARTISTS CORP., N. Y. C. 


Night Club Reviews 


Continued from pace 60 


IliLiln II., Miami HVh 

“September Song,” yock-raising 
spoof on operatic arias and artful 
twist en “Hernando's Hideway,” 
with switch centering the comedy 
theme on Orlando. Fla. It’s basic- 
ally a rhyming on the “House Is 
Not A Home Idea,” but brought oiT 
in good taste. 

Impact is solid throughout, earn- 
ing them an encore segment which 
features vocal impreshes in “Stars 
of Yesteryear.” it's an olT-trail 
limning, away from the usual take- 
offs. the duo taking turns at John 
McCormack, Jack Norworth and 
Nora Bayes. George M. Cohan, 
Gallagher & Shean and a wrapper- 
upper in Cross's carboning of Bert 
Williams’ poker game bit. The pair 
are a good bet for tv guesters 
while working the better cafes for 
which their concepts are obviously 
tailored. 

Wally Wanger’s production ideas 
are bright, featuring a fresh group 
of youngsters, colorfully costumed. 
Teenager soubrette Barbara Ann 
Sharma is a likely looking pros- 
pect for better things once she 
undergoes {he smoothening that 
comes with experience. Ted Law- 
rie handles the song leads effec- 
tively. and on his own scores hand- 
ily with a blend of American and 
Parisian chansons. Lad is a per- 
sonable performer who works out 
his catalog with polished ease. 
Martin & Maio blend into the en- 
semble numbers, then take off solo 
on expert French dance patterns 
to earn themselves healthy re- 
turns. Showhacking by Fausto Cur- 
ello and his unit is well handled. 

Lary. 


frofleendo. Hollywood 

Hollywood. Jan. 8. 
Louis Armstrong Orch (6), with 
Velma Middleton: cover, $2. 


All paths for jazz fans should 
lead to the Crescendo during the 
next two weeks, where Louis 


Armstrong is making his return 
to L. A. after more than two years. 
Satehmo whoops it up for even 
jazzier melodies than usual, on this 
first Sunset Strip appearance, and 
the engagement shou>d necessitate 
management hiring an extra- 
money-counter for what’s a cinch 
to be packed houses to his wind- 
up. 

The trumpet is as clear and 
enthusiastic as ever, and Arm- 
strong has arranged his numbers 
so that every man in the six-man 
orch gets golden opportunity to 
show his wares. Tunes are remi- 
niscent both of Basin St. and 
Canal St., where the lazy style 
is blasted frequently with brass, 
and their effect on the crowd was 
constant outbursts opening night. 
Satehmo is right in there singing, 
too, while using two hankorchiefs 
per show to mop up his enthusi- 
asm. 

More than a dozen numbers are 
crowded into the 60-minute frame, 
and it’s all according to what in- 
strument you like best to name a 
top tune. With “Sleepy Time Gal” 
for his theme, Armstrong socks 
over in very best style “Tin Roof 
Blues,” “Back Home in Indiana” 
and “I Found My Thrill on Blue- 
verry Hill.” 

“S’Wonderful,” with Barney Bi- 
gard on the clarinet, cops one 
of the biggest hands. Bass fiddler 
Arvell Shaw draws plenty with 
“The Man I Love,” Trummy Young 
with his hot trombone gives out 
with a terrific “Tain’t What You 
Do.” Billy Kyle fascinates with 
“Pennies from Heaven” on the 
piano, and Barrett Deems handles 
“Mop Mop” just right on the 
drums. 

On the singing end, Velma 
Middleton breezes into “Lover 
Come Back to Me” for fine effect, 
and pairs with Armstrong on “Big 
Butter and Egg Man.” Next stop 
for Satehmo — Florida. Whit. 


at the start quickly disappears. 
“This Can’t Be Love" is the teeoff, 
followed by “Lover Come Back to 
Me” and “When Your Lover Has 
Gone.” Also, there’s "I Can’t Give 
You Anything But Love.” Seems 
she can’t let go of love. It’s a class 
turn, right for tv exposure as well 
as the clubs. 

With no customer dancing, Sau- 
ter-Finegan crew puts the accent 
on sound effects. There’s plenty of 
“arrangement.” particularly in 
belting out “Eddie and the Witch 
Doctor” and “John Henry,” latter 
ballad also getting a robust recita- 
tion by Andy Roberts. S-F’s off- 
beat approach sells well. 

Don Shirley, although a holdover 
at the Street, doesn’t seem at 
home. His quasi-classical jazz pian- 
istics are beautifully registered but 
his message doesn’t get properly 
received in the spacious room. 

Gene. 


(RALPH AND MARY) 

THE CARNEVALES 

"IN A DUNCIN ' MOOD" 
Currently 

CASINO ROYAL 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Dir.; Jimmie Husson Agency 
119 W. 57th St.. New York 


Itasin Street, IV. Y, 

Ella Fitzgerald, SauterFinegan 
Orch, Don Shirley Duo. Adviis • 
sion, $1.80; $3 minimum. 

Cellar spot has a payoff layout 
this time out with Ella Fitzgerald’s 
vocalistics balanced against Sauter- 
Finegan’s musicalisthenics. In be- 
tween, Don Shirley at the piano 
assisted by Richard Davis finger- 
ing bass. Full house on opening 
Jan. 4. 

Miss Fitzgerald, who’s played 
Basin Street before, has the cus- 
tomers with her right off. She’s 
“soft peddling” her songalog, 
stressing intimacy in style of de- 
livery and the effect is beaucoup 
agreeable. A show of nervousness 


■loverly Hills, Newport 

Newport, Ky., Jan. 8. 

Bevcrlce Dennis, Stan Kramer , 
& Co., 3 Rockets, Earl Lindsay 
Dancers (10), Dick Hyde, Gardner 
Benedict Orch (10); $3 minimum, 
$4 Saturday. 

Favorable start for 1955 is sup- 
plied by the current two-weeker. 
Beverlee Dennis adds to her 
Greater Cincy gallery of rooters 
with a varied song cycle and occa- 
sional spicy quips. All of the ma- 
terial is special and sparkling and 
befitting her range of type take- 
offs. “Show Biz," which she 
introed here, parades the singing 
greats of this century and shapes 
as retaining a place for some time 
to come in her routine. 

Stan Kramer & Co., also back 
among warm friends, hits high as 
a puppet productioner. Miniature 
stage, characters and wardrobing 
are a show unto themselves. This 
includes recordings for Durante 
and other specialties. Finishes 
strong with his backstage assist- 
ants, mother and dad, joining in 
manipulating pairs of dancing fig- 
ures. 

Fast and unison-stepping 3 
Rockets rack up lots of mitting in 
five minutes on the boards. It’s 
their first time here. 

Line of Lindsay Dancers has 
three spanking new numbers and 
costuming. Gardner Benedict’s 
combo and the Jimmy Wilbur Trio 
maintain a high standard of show- 
backing and dance music. Koll. 

Desert Inn, Las Vegas 

Las Vegas, Jan. 3. 

Jimmy Durante, Eddie Jackson, 
Jack Roth, Jules Bufjano, Kurtis 
Marionettes (2), Mary Meade 
French, Donn Arden Dancers (16), 
Carlton Hayes Orch (14); no cover 
or minimum. 


fashion and the capacity biz regis- 
tered nightly is no place for a guy 
looking for a quiet corner to doze 
off between dice-game sessions. 
The Durante tumult (in for two 
and a half weeks) is at the same 
old pitch, the hysterics stem from 
the same knockabout cavontings as 
the Schnoz tosses piano parts at 
his drummer Jack Roth or gibes 
with pianist Jules Buffano. 

Durante works much of the time 
with six girls from the Donn Arden 
line and most of the time with old 
sidekick Eddie Jackson. In the 
50 minutes noisily consumed by 
the comedian, his effusive yellings, 
“Let me hear the band,” punctuate 
song faves. “It’s the Man That 
Makes the Clothes” is Durante 
buffoonery at its most hilarious, 
with the belles giving a broad as- 
sist. His search for the lost chord 
at the piano leaves the audience 
limp. 

With Durante at the 88. Jack- 
son belts “It’s a Thrill” and “Old 
Bill Bailey” to rock the room as 
the dependable vaude entertainer 
prances in his long familiar style. 
“The Rhumba Is a Marvellous 
Step” finds Durante again rollick- 
ing with the six chorines in a 
rhythmic Umbriago set. “Inka 
Dinka Doo” is the high-note end- 
ing to the stint. 

The Kurtis Marionettes is a 
clever novelty as a parade of color- 
ful and supple dolls dance to the 
clever string-pullings of Kurtis 
and his assistant. Kurtis also sings 
through the tiny characters, rang- 
ing from blues to opera, and the 
act goes off to a big hand. 

Tall, blonde Mary Meade French 
is a singer with a personality that 
pleases and a pleasant-enough 
voice. Her impressions of a bevy 
of femme singing stars including 
Patti Page and Dorothy Shay un- 
derscore good entertainment. 

The Donn Arden line number. 


Bal Masque,” Is a colorful, well- 
staged and costumed terp routine 
that scores with the customers all 
the way and the show is ably- 
backed by Carlton Hayes and his 
orch. Bob. 


Jimmy Durante makes his an- 
nual visit in typically boisterous 


SILLMAN SET TO STAGE 
NEW VERSAILLES SHOW 

Leonard Sillman will stage the 
new show at the Versailles, N. Y., 
to open at the nitery around the 
end of February. Sillman, producer 
of the current legiter, “Mrs. Pat- 
terson,” who has also done several 
editions of “New Faces,” will start 
rehearsals Feb. 1. 

Already signed for the show are 
Arthur Siegel and June Carroll as 
writers; David Tihman as chore- 
ographer, and Thomas Beecher, 
costumes. Cast is still to be set up. 

Most Versailles unit shows have 
run over a year. However, the cur- 
rent show opened Sept. 22 of last 
year. 


Glaser Books La Silva 
Into Palm Beach Club 

Simone Silva has been booked 
into the New Melody Club, West 
Palm Beach, Fla., by Joe Glaser’s 
Associated Booking Corp. She was 
packaged in a deal with the Harry 
Ranch Orch. 

Miss Silva, Italian filmstar, had 
her stay extended in the U. S. by 
the Immigration Dept, as long as 
she keeps working. 


Genevieve signed for the Palmer 
House, Chicago, starting Feb. 16, 
coincident with the release of her 
new Columbia album. 


The NEW and SENSATIONAL 

ESTRELLITA 
and RAUL 


in "Dances of Spain" 




Wednesday* January 12, 1955 


TURK MURPHY CLOSES 
HIS CLUB IN FRISCO 

San Francisco, Jan. 11. 

Trombonist Turk Murphy, who 
has operated his own night club. 
The Venetian Room of the Italian 
Village, for the past couple of 
vears, has closed the club and gone 
to work at the Tin Angel. 

Murphy, who recently returned 
from a successful tour of the east, 
has been unable to make a finan- 
cial success out of the spot. He’ll 
be at the Tin Angel for only two 
weeks and then opens at the Vene- 
tian Room of the Fairmont Hotel 
on the same bill with Helen For- 
rest, Feb. 1. 

The Venetian Room of the Fair- 
mont is on the top of Nob Hill. 
The Venetian Room of the Italian 
Village is at the bottom. 


More Chez Woes 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Current show at the Chez Paree, 
plagued by recurrent booking trou- 
bles from the outset, when Joe E. 
Lewis and Peggy Lee had to can- 
cel out because of illness, now has 
a new woe. George Jessel, head- 
liner booked to replace Lewis, can- 
not stay beyond Jan. 15 due to 
other commitments, yet Lena 
Horne’s opener is set for Jan. 19. 

Management is again scratching 
Its liead and w ondering who will 
replace Jessel in the four-day gap. 


Miss 

NAOMI 

STEVENS 

"C Hants With a Chuckle " 

HELD OVER 4th WEEK 

BLACK ORCHID 

CHICAGO 

(Thanks Al Greenfield) 

Dir.: JIMMIE HUSSON AGENCY 
119 W. 57th St., New York 



Thornton Heads Texas 
State Fair for 11th Time 

Dallas, Jan. 11. 

State Fair of Texas directors’ 
board recently reelected R. L. 
Thornton, city’s mayor and local 
bank board chairman, to his 11th 
consecutive one-year term as expo 
prez. Also reelected were James 
H. Stewart, exec veepee-general 
manager; Charles R. Meeker Jr., 
veepee-assistant general manager; 
Fred F. Florence, treasurer; S. 
Bowen Cox, secretary, and Arthur 
K. Hale, assistant secretary. 

Board also voted to up the 1955 
expo’s official opening to Friday, 
Oct. 7, instead of the traditional 
Saturday opening. Change, first 
since 1922 when the fair’s run was 
cut to 10 days, extends the usual 
16-day run to count heads at the 
Cotton Bowl’s Oct. 7 Southern 
Methodist U.-Missouri U. night 
football game in official attend- 
ance figures for the Oct. 7-23 
run. Both the Ice Arena show and 
State Fair Auditorium attraction 
will open on Friday night, also, to 
boost expo’s gate. 

_____ _________ 

GREENHUT QUITS MCA 

FOR PERSONAL MGT. 

Johnny Greenhut resigned last 
week from Music Corp. of America. 
Parting was amicable. He was 
with that organization for 12 years, 
having started in the nitery depart- 
ment and then going into the video 
sector, where he was a talent co- 
ordinator. Greenhut is going into 
the personal management field. 
Clients thus far include Carol 
Haney, now in “Pajama Game”; 
Mike Stokey, of the “Pantomime 
Quiz” tele show sponsored by Rev- 
Tbn; comedian Morey Amsterdam; 
producer Joe Cates of “Stop the 
Music,” and Burt Shevelove, a 
writer and director. 

Greenhut, while with MCA. orig- 
inally sold Jackie Gleason to the 
DuMont network, which started 
him off. He also paved the way 
for talent sales in Florida for the 
agency. Prior to that, Florida had 
been a virtual monopoly by two 
other agencies. 

H’wood Moulin Rouge Pulls 
85G In Seven-Nite Span 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Frank Sennes’ Moulin Rouge has 
a new mark to aim at, since the 
week* ending New Year’s Night. 
Nitery lured a total of 11,800 per- 
sons for a gross of $85,000, ex- 
cluding tax, during the seven-night 
span, a record since the Christmas 
Day, 1953, opener. 

Previous high was $65,600 — and 
9.100 patrons — for week of Oct. 10- 
17, 1954, when the current “Ca 
C’est Paris” opened. 


UtX\ 


Blackstone 9|G, Tor. 

Toronto, Jan. 11. 

At a $2 top, including tax, with 
kids in at half-price, Blackstone 
the Magician did a very nice $9,500 
at the Royal Alexandra Theatre 
< 1,525-seater) here, this a full 150- 
minute prez as contrasted with his 
previous 60 minutes vaude house 
stints. 

Toronto date saw the magician 
back for the first time in a legit 
house here in three seasons, as 
apart from those necessarily cur- 
tailed vaude appearances. 

THEATRE PARTY SETUP 
FOR EDITH PIAF TOUR 

The Gale Agency, which is spon- 
soring the tour of Edith Piaf in a 
vaude show in a series of legit 
houses, has embarked on a ticket- 
selling gimmick, hoped to elimi- 
nate chances of empty seals. Tim 
Gale, agency’s prexy, has signed 
Sylvia Siegler to organize theatre 
parties in all 10 cities in which the 
show will be touring. She is the 
former head of Show of the Month 
Club. 

Miss Siegler will work in ad- 
vance of the show, which opens in 
March at the Curran Theatre, San 
Francisco. Miss Piaf previously 
played that town for one week last 
year, and drew near-capacity biz. 

Rest of the show is still to be set 
by Gale. 

________________ 

‘Waters’ Extends Run In 
Costa Rica After Fair 

“Dancing Waters,” the fountain 
display, will continue its Costa 
Rican run for two extra weeks, fol- 
lowing the windup of the Costa 
Rican National Fair, at San Jose. 
Display had been set up on a 
fenced lot near the fair, and had 
done business big enough to war- 
rant an extra stay. Fair wound up 
a week ago Sunday (2) but "Waters” 
promoters asked for a continua- 
tion. Admission charge is 35c. 

“Waters” started its Costa Rican 
run with a four-day stand at the 
Teatro Nacional Dec. 18, and then 
went into the fair on Christmas 
Day. Sam Shayon, in charge of 
routing the fountain, had gone 
[ down to supervise the opening, and 
I returned to the U.S. last week. 


VAUDEVILLE 


Vaude, Cafe Dates 


New York 


Bevhills 80G Facelift 

Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Beverly Hills Hotel is spending 
$80,000 on a facelift for its Palm 
Terrace Room, with Don Loper set 
to do renovating. 

Room, which closed last Sunday 
19), reopens Feb. 1 with a Persian 
motif. 


Dorothy Shay pacted for the 
Persian Room, Plaza Hotel. N. Y., 
May 12. and follows with the 
Palmer House. Chicago, June 23 
. . . Tony & Eddie signed for the 
Sands Hotel, March 16 on a three- 
year deal . . . Kaye Ballard follows 
her current Beachcomber, Miami 
Beach, stand with the Baker, Dal- 
las, Jan. 24, and the Last Frontier, 
Las Vegas, Feb. 7 . . . Myron 
Cohen goes to El Rancho, Las 
Vegas, March 2 . . . Dick Shawn 
and Katharine Dunham Dancers to 
the Sahara, Las Vegas, in Febru- 
ary . . . Singer Bill Farrell has 
signed with Joe Glaser’s Associ- 
ated Booking Corp. . . Tony 

Drake is an added starter at Pal- 
umbo’s, Philadelphia . . . Enter- 
tainers Club of New York to host 
a dance and show at the Capt. 
Charles B. Dillingham Post of the 
American Legion. 

Honnie Gray left her job as a 
secretary in the legal department 
of the William Morris Agency to 
go into the Copacabana, N.Y., line 
. . . George Jessel pacted for the 
Town Casino, Buffalo, Feb. 27 . . . 
Will Mastin Trio goes into the 
Latin Casino, Philadephia, Feb. 21 

. . Ray Bolger tapped for the 
Sahara, Las Vegas, April 5 . . . 
Charlivels return * to the Latin 
Quarter, N.Y.. Jan. 16 . . . Fay De 
Witt set for El Rancho, Las Vegas, 
Feb. 2. 

Chicago 

Bob Clray into the Congress 
Hotel. St. Louis, Feb. 4 for 3 weeks 
. . . Larry Storch opens at the Chi- 
cago Theatre Jan. 21 for a two- 
j framer, while his brother. Jay 
Lawrence, opens at the Chez Paree, 
Chicago, Jan. 16 . . . Ving Merlin 
and his Violin Lovelies current at 
the Congress Hotel, St. Louis, for 
four weeks . . . Lena Horne into the 
Chez Paree Jan. 19 in a four-framer 
. . . Celeste Holm skedded for the 
Empire Room, Chi, for four weeks 
March 17 . . . Crewcuts and Dick 
Kerr open at the Chase Hotel, St. 
Louis, Feb. 3 for two weeks. 

Hollywood 

Cab Calloway trails Billy Ward 
and His Dominoes- at Mocambo 
Jan. 18 . . . Rosemary Clooney 
inked for three weeks in May at 
Sands, Las Vegas . . . Mel Torme 
opens this week at The Bimbo 
Club, Frisco, for three frames . . . 
Tommy Tedesco Group held over 
for added four weeks at Peacock 
Lane. 

Martin & Lewis open today 
(Wed.) at the Sands, Las Vegas 
. . . LeRoy Prinz brings “George 
White Show,” formerly at the Ver- 
sailles, N. Y., into the El Rancho 
Vegas, Las Vegas, around Feb. 1 
. . . Fran Gregory to preem Jan. 25 
at Cloud Room, Park Surf Hotel, 
Hawaii . . . Four King Sisters ap- 


pear with Abbott & Costello at 

San Francisco Auto Show Feb. 12, 
after N. Y. Copa stint . . . Lillian 
Roth heads show opening tomor- 
row (Thurs.) at Chi Chi. Palm 
Springs . . . A*ice Tyrrell held over 
for two extra weeks at Bar of 
Music . . . George Gobel opens 
three-week stand in Terrace Room 
of the Hotel Statler Jan. 24. 


Concello Buys Up Chief 
Share of Beatty Circus 

Palmetto, Fla., Jan. 11. 

Arthur M. Concello, former gen- 
eral manager of the Ringling Bros.- 
Barnum & Bailey Circus, has 
bought a controlling interest in the 
Clyde Beatty Circus. Roland But- 
ler, for many years chief advance 
man of the Ringlings, will be asso- 
ciated with Concello in the new 
outfit. Beatty will continue with 
the circus as its major performer. 
Show will open on the Coast some 
time in March and work its way 
east. 

Concello. formerly with The Fly- 
ing Concellos, which used to be 
billed importantly by the Ring- 
lings. became head of all the aerial 
acts with the circus. Later he was 
promoted to general manager. 
Beatty was also with the Ringlings 
at one time. - 




Currently 

MUEHLEBACH 
HOTEL 
Kansas City 



DOLORES 

HAWKINS 




• EPIC RECORDS • 

Direction: GENERAL ARTISTS CORP. 


VISKRIPTS* 

‘Material by Vide 

COMEDY ROUTINES and BURLESQUE. . $3 
BEST COMEDY BITS IS 

A. GUY VISK 

Writing Enterprise* 

1U Hill Street Troy, N. Y. 

“Creator i at Special Camedy Material" 


RAVES at the STATLER, Washington, D. C. 

"A thoroly Entertaining pocket-sized musical revue" 

DON HEARN, Washington Daily News 

"Himber's situation comedy has a George Gobel-like "Himber has a sense of humor and makes the most of it." 
quality." PAUL HERRON, Washington Post H. M., Evening Star, Washington 


THE SHOW 


FOR DANCING 


RICHARD HIMBER 

(THE LAD WHO HATES MAGIC) 

FEATURING 

GABY MONET RITA CONSTANCE 


(Dancing Star of 
’ly Hi# Beautiful Saa”) 


(America's Loveliest Songstress) 


Added Attraction — ALAN CARRIER 

(Supper Club's Newust Comedian) 


" New York's Smartest Dance Musi c" 

RICHARD HIMBER 

and his ORCHESTRA 

with BOB NORMAN 

(1955's New Recording Star) 


In Production "FUM FLAM” for BROADWAY — A Musical Comedy by RICHARD HIMBER 

e 

Booked by MCA 








64 


VAUDEVILLE 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 







ORCHESTRA and REVUE 


WORLD FAMOUS 


LECUONA 
CUBAN BOYS 


JANUARY 16th featured: 
COLGATE COMEDY HOUR— NBC-TV 


Beginning JANUARY 18 (6 Weeks) 

FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL 

MIAMI BEACH 

i * • 

Future Bookings: 

COCOANUT GROVE 

LOS ANGELES 


THUNDERBIRD 

LAS VEGAS 

(Return Engagement After Recent Smash Hit!) 

Direction: MERCURY ARTISTS CORP. 

730 Fifth Avenue, New York City JUdson 6-6500 


Thank You 

Stanley Blinstrub for two wonder- 
ful weeks at Blinstrub's Village- 
Boston, Mass. 


c JtGVlM 


Thanks also for: 

Two months Peter Lind Hayes Show — CBS 
Five Unprecedented Weeks Sheraton, Wash., D. C. 
Five Smash Weeks Shoreham, Wash., D. C. 


Personal Management: 
AL RUBY 


WILLIAM MORRIS 
AGENCY 


SNOW 


(Harry) HITS BOSTON 


Sn °» 


Q e$ // i o„ 


H, o // 


*»<//// 


"b- 


'"•"A, 


cV>‘ V ". 


» 0< '''“'’bo*' 0 ***' 

\n r( J 


"•* H ;° W - A 

*kXH*>n 


INTRODUCING 

FRANKIE 

SCOTT 

America's 

Undernourished Comedian 


Recently 
Concluded 
14) WEEKS 


HOLLYWOOD 
SUPPER CLUB 

Chicago 

“Frankie Scott is a young laugh- 
getter who for years has been sea- 
soned in the smaller cabarets and 
who now seems ripe- for higher 
notching . . . Specialty starter, 
which spoofs his bony build in the 
way Durante mocks his nose, gets 
him oft on the right foot. He has 
a strong bit in his satires of mod- 
ern and vintage singers, involving 
Harry Richman, Johnnie Ray, Ted 
Lewis, Liberace and Eartha Kitt, 
and winding up with a zany tune 
, of the future, “Rocket Ship Baby.” 
His trumpet impressions of Harry 
James and Henry Busse are sure- 
fire getaway offerings.” 

PfcfZIETY 

“Frankie Scott is a young Dur- 
ante.” Dale Stevens, 

Dayton Daily News. 

Currently: ESQUIRE RED ROOM, Dayton, Ohio 

Opening Soon: TOWN CASINO, Buffalo 
(6th Return Engagement) 

Followed by: ELMWOOD CASINO, Windsor 
(4th Return Engagement) 
and 

DOWNBEAT CLUB, Montreal 
(4th Return Engagement) 

Writer: DOUGLAS CRAIO 
Direction: PETER J. IODICE 
Fox Theatre Building, Detroit 


Personal Mgt. 

SB Continued from page <1 ggas 

Walters Enterprises and others, 
have fairly extensive operations. 

Piloting Unknowns 

Of course, many managements 
are associated with major talents, 
while others are trying their luck 
with beginners. Cass Franklin, 
heading the Walters Enterprises, 
says that personal managers defeat 
their own purpose when they go 
after substantial names only, as the 
real creative talent of manage- 
ments cannot be evident. The trick 
is to take unknowns and pilot them 
into the bigtime. There’s more 
work in that kind of operation, and 
the returns are less, says Franklin, 
but the satisfaction is greater. 
Right now, they are riding with 
Diahann Carroll, who has a role 
in “House of Flowers” and has 
been seen in “Carmen Jones.” 
Others on that roster are Nejla 
Ates and Billy Fields. Franklin 
says the toughest part of the office 
i routine is trying to sell acts to Lou 
Walters, for his Latin Quarters in 
New York and/or Miami Beach. 
He’s a real tough sale. 

Gabbe, Lutz & Heller took Liber- 
ace when he wasn’t doing anything 
spectacular and got lucky with him. 
Durgoin, and his partner Jack 
Philbin, are riding high on Jackie 
Gleason whom they moulded be- 
fore he reached his present afflu- 
ence. • 

• The personal management field, 
however, is becoming almost as 
crowded as the agency business 
used to be. Freed from the con- 
trol of unions and with a city li- 
cense not necessary, there have 
been abuses in the field that have 
given an unsavory rep to the gen- 
eral practitioner. Some would wel- 
j come control. The musicians union 
has been able to limit the commis- 
| sion of the p.m. to 5%. Others are 
| trying to create a sense of ethics 
, that would take the stigma off the 
profession. 

Many take commissions much be- 
yond the service they perform and 
others have contract forms that are 
inequitable. But the bulk of them 
are hard-working gentry who try to 
give their charges fair value. Bulk 
of them hope for an early cleanup. 


Pro 


Continued from page 61 


lose a fortune. Generally he did. 
Y'ates had an unusual calling card 
in newly decorated offices. Upon 
his first visit, he would see to it 
that a postage stamp decorated the 
ceiling. Onetime on a golf course, 
in a driving rain, his shoes got too 
wet. so he ditched them and com- 
pleted the game barefoot. 

In the Pro Class 

Incidentally, Yates was among 
the few golfers who played in the 
low 70s. He could have been a pro 
at any time. He was deft in other 
athletic endeavors. He used to play 
baseball with the original genera- 
tion of Variety staffers. Actually 
his first job was as an office boy at 
Variety in Chicago. 

Yates broke into agency business 
in his native Chicago, where he 
was a stenographer for the ^West- 
ern Vaudeville Managers Assn. He 
then started as an indie in that 


j city where he shared offices with 
| Jess Freeman (now with Variety). 
His brother, Irving, at that time, 
was a major Loew agent, and he 
soon went into business with, him 
in Manhattan. Later he joined 
Consolidated Radio Artists, also 
headed the Frederick Bros, variety 
activities, and worked for several 
years at Joe Glaser’s Associated 
Booking Corp., before going into 
Yates had the unusual distinc- 
tion of being the centre of a law- 
suit on which the court had to 
I rule whether he was “unique.” He 
had a longterm contract with 
: Frederick Bros, and when he left 
that agency because of some dif- 
ferences, the Frederick boys went 
to court asking to restrain him 
from working elsewhere. They 
claimed that they needed his serv- 
ices since he was “unique and in- 
dispensable.” Everyone agreed that 
Charley was unique, but the court 


ruled that he could work elsewhere 
even if he was unique, because he 
wasn’t classified as an artist. 

Yates was the favorite agent of 
many bookers. Many threw busi- 
ness his way just on the strength 
of his personality. Where an act 
or band was of equal calibre, the 
bookers generally bought the one 
represented by Yates. At various 
times his list included Bing Crosby, 
Jerry Colonna, Gypsy Rose Lee, 
Phil Spitalny, George Olson and 
others. 

He is survived by his widow, 
Reggie, whom he met while she 
was secretary for his brother 
Irving; Stephen, his son, a daugh- 
ter, and another brother, Sidney, 
who is a member of the U.S. House 
of Representatives from Chicago. 
The remains were flown to New 
York, arriving yesterday (Tues.). 
Irving accompanied him. Services 
are scheduled for the Riverside 
Chapel tomorrow (Thurs.) at 11:30 
a.m. 

On Monday, when the news of 
his death reached Broadway, many 
upon reflection, thought that 
Charley had died happy — on the 
golf course and in the company of 
his best friend, Bob Hope. 


Heaf s On In Chi 


Continued from peg* <1 


Year’s, appointed one of the tough- 
est captains on the force, Capt. 
James Hackett, to head the district, 
with strict orders to enforce the 
law regardless of whose toes were 
stepped on. 

Dumped Mayor Is Sore 

Mayor Kennelly ordered Hackett 
to clamp down, reputedly in re- 
taliation against William J. Con- 
nors, boss of the 42d Ward, which 
includes this area. It seems that 
Connors supported the local Demo- 
cratic candidate in this year’s up- 
coming mayoral election. 

Hackett swung into action im- 
mediately by ordering all “26” dice 
tables closed down. Hackett’s next 
move was to curtail after-hours 
drinking spots. 

In the past, when police clamped 
down on the district, certain select- 
ed places were still allowed to 


carry on illegal operations. But thig 
time there are no favorites and the 
lid is clamped down tight. 

The law against unescorted 
women drinking at bars is being 
applied as well and it all adds up 
to loss of revenue for the nitery op- 
erator, especially at the peak con- 
vention time, when he does his 
lushest business. 

Exceptions to the general biz 
downbeat art some of the area’s 
better known entertainment show- 
cases that depend on top talent to 
draw crowds, such as the Chez 
Paree, Black Orchid, Blue Angel 
and others of the reputable stature. 

The “private” key clubs, private 
in name only, are feeling the heat 
just as much as their more public 
competitors. And some of the strip 
joints on Clark St. shape to close 
down because of the revenue drop. 




Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


REVIEWS 


65 



POLLY BERGEN 
Songs, Dance* 

35 Mins. 

I hunderbird. Las V egas 

Polly Bergen is a click in an ex- | 
pensively mounted presentation 
iiiat brings out her beauty, person- ! 
uiity and undeniable singing abili- 1 
tv She dances and cavorts with 
her aides, Tom Avera and Dick 
Crowley, during their 35-minute 
k tint and is a winner from start to 
finish. The new "Miss Pepsi-Cola” 
is lucky to have such standout song 
and dance partners. Presentation, 
written by Erwin Drake and Jimmy 
Sliirl, and conceived and staged by 
Jack Stanton, is tailored to bring 
out the charm, talent an<J pulchri- 
tude of the star. 

She can belt “That’s Entertain- 
ment” on the contrastingly moody 
"I'll Be Seeing You” with equal 
aplomb. “Mountain Dew” is a clever 
bucolic number and the headliner’s 
flashing personality scores in “Got 
You Under My Skin.” “Just A 
Dream Ago” is socko and “Hooray 
for the Difference” is a sexy, cute 
finisher. Paul Shelley conducts the 
A1 Jahns orch in excellent fashion. 
Miss Bergen is a cinch cafe bet 
for the bigtime. Bob. 

THE MOREOS (3) 

Aero 
9 Mins. 

Palace, N.Y. 

The Moreos, comprising two 
husky males and a girl, have an 
essentially excellent turn. The 
hand-to-hand work by the two lads 
is based on tricks that require 
prodigious strength. Some of their 
lifts draw salvos and there are 
some that are done by a few acro- 
bats very early in their career be- 
fore being retired as too difficult. 

The act opens with a few tricks 
with the girl, after which she 
retires before becoming too dis- 
tracting. The act could be im- 
proved either by giving the girl a 
more definite role and utilizing her 
looks and ability at aero work to 
it fuller degree, or retire her com- 
pletely. Under the latter setup, 
they become only an aero turn. 
They have a better chance to cover 
more territory with the femme 
doing more useful chores. Jose . 


ISOBEL ROBINS 
Sonrs 
15 Mins. 

Paradise Room, Atlanta 

Flashing freshness, plus per- | 
sonality, this pretty young thrush j 
scores well in her hotel date debut. 
A looker, Isobcl Robins’ face isn’t 
unfamiliar to Paradise Room pa- 
trons, because of her tv appear- 
ances. She does her act straight, 
and depends upon her voiceband 
delivery to put herself over. It’s 
adequate, and when she gets the 
feel of the mixture of audiences 
she w’ill face in hotel rooms instead 
of the club spots she’s been play- 
ing. she will do better. 

Her voice is throaty and the 
special material she uses suits it j 
fine. On show' caught, she sang , 
“Love Isn’t Born” and followed it i 
with “Country Store.” For encore | 
she offered an Irving Berlin medley 
as arranged by Bud Redding. Her 
repertoire includes Roy Freeman’s I 
“Miller’s Ridge.” “Little Ol’ Me” | 
and "Complaining.” She does a 
good job of selling her songs. 

Luce. 


threesomes and larger groupings. 
They are garbed in black and red 
checks and make good appearance 
on the stage, winding act by com- 
ing into auditorium to coax three 
males and three distaffers from 
among customers to dance with , 
them. Despite difficulties of insur- 
ing pronto aud participation, they 
persuade six young persons to 
dance with them for comedy effect, 
the distaffers of the act engaging 
male customers in plenty comedy 1 
routines and turns. 

Useful act for most vaude loca- 
tions in both U.S. and Common- : 
wealth. Gord. 



Palace, V. 

McHarris & Dolores, Ching, 
Hank Sicilian, Susan Silo, Lou I 
Daley, Moreqs (31, Ken Whitmer | 
1 2), Tokayer Troupe <t>>; “Black 
Tuesday” t UA > reviewed in Vari- 
ety Dec. 22, ’54. 


provide a powerful curtain. Under 
New Acts are Susan Silo. The 
Moreos < 3) and Iaju Daley. Jo 
Lombardi,, batoning the house 
crew, cuts a sharp show'. Jose. 


HELENE CORDET 
Songs 
25 Mins. 

Rita Carlton, Montreal 

For a diminutive blonde, Helene i 
C’ordet essays authority and con- ‘ 
viction, with a songalog that is okay 
for a cafe of this type. Originally 
from France of Greek parents. 
Miss Cordet is playing her first 
date on this side of the Atlantic. 
Her bilingual talents make her a 
natural in Montreal, and gal should 
be a cinch for any of the more 
sophisticated boites on either side 
of the border. 

Songstress is liberal with offer- 
ings and mixes the routine ballads 
such as “While We’re in Love” with 
a fine special material item, 
“Three Carnations,” to a solid re- 
ception. Several pop Gallic tunes 
keep Interest, but the hokum is 
kept to a minimum and Miss Cor- 
det never goes overboard trying to 
impress with her language talents. 
Act is relaxed and pliable enough 
to fit most audience situations. 

Plenty of experience in the cafes 
of London and various musicomedy 
stints makes this thrush a sure 
tiling for any visual medium on 
the specialty beam. 


PEARL EDDY 
Songs, Piano 
18 Mins. 

Kddys’ 

Kansas City 

Blonde Pearl Eddy has lately 
eschewed voealling for records and 
night spots after some former suc- 
cess as a straight pianist. On the 
Label X past several months she 
has had a success in “Devil Lips,” 
and is due for some additional 
releases from the RCA subsid 
shortly. 

Her appearance at the Eddy (no 
relation) Restaurant here is one of 
several she is fulfilling in night 
clubs currently, combining her 
vocals with work at the keyboard. 
Livelier tunes seem to be her best 
forte, as she drew a notable hand 
from the customers on “Devil 
Lips,” “When Get I You Alone To- 
night” and “Linger Awhile.” And 
her piano work, such as a solo hit 
on “Cumina,” is firstrate. 

Here and there her vocalizing 
could stand some picking up ana 
projection of personality for better 
registry with the patrons. Voice- 
wise she has a definite quality, and 
when rounded out with a bit more 
sparkle, is bound to grow in de- 
mand for p.a.’s as well as records. 


PAUL St PETA PAGE 

Puppets 

10 Mins. 

Empire, Glasgow 

Paul St Peta Page. English pup- 
peteering twosome, show some in- 
teresting routines in an act which 
has much international potential, 
and they reveal skill in siring ma- 
nipulations. 

Puppets are seen against black 
backcloth, the two humans also 
being garbed in same dark material 
as they operate the dolls from 
behind in full view of stubholders. 
Puppets are well-made and color- 
ful, choice of characters is bright, 
and entire act reveals humor 
aspect w-hich should click with 
most nationalities. 

Act is okay for vaudery and 
nitery dates, and a good bet for 
the U. S. cabaret field. Gord. 


Hope vs. Union 


Continued from page S 


SUSAN SILO 
Song* 

7 Mina. 

Palace, N.Y. 

Susan Silo, a 12-year-old in pig- 
tails and bob bysox, apparently has 
been rushed into a solo vaude sit- 
uation too prematurely. Although 
having basic attributes that can 
lead her into a good act, the mop- 
pet needs material that isn’t so 
obviously a bid for sympathy and 
applause, such as the “Mama Doll” 
number. 

Granted, it’s difficult to find 
material for precocious kids, but 
even at the advanced age of 1: Miss 
Silo can wait for the right ua- 
tion. so that she can cop te. 'ic 
mitts instead of polite hands. 

Jose. 


LOU DALEY 
Comedy 
8 Mins. 

Palace, N.Y. 

Lou Daley looks like a good com- 
edy worker once he gets proper 
material. Youngster has an assured 
stance and rapid delivery, along 
with some impressions that regis- 
ter. However, many of these items 
aic encased in verbiage entirely 
too familiar. 

Daley can get by in many situa- 
tions. just as he’s doing here, but 
* 01 ’ the smart coin he’ll have to 
bee hi s catalog with some better 
Writing than, he now possesses. • 

Jose. 


BRUXELLOS (2) 

Acrobatics 
10 Mins. 

Lido, Paris 

Phis rates pegging under New 
Acts due to a phenom twist of this 
“et. In which one of the duo takes 
f tray fujl of drinks and is flipped 
*nto an overhead somersault with- 
out spilling a drop. Act frames 
tins solid innovation with fast- 
paced mpa and knockabout, but it 
J* tiie two back jumps with loaded 
,r *Y«th*t makes the difference. 

inis seems a natural for U.S. ty 
or nitery or vaude placing for that 
unusual turn. Mosk. 


HORTENSE ALLEN St CHORUS 

(9) 

12 Mins. 

Apollo, N.Y. 

Hortense Allen has worked with 
other of the Apollo lines, but for 
the first time brings her own into 
the Harlem key. Her terp troupe 
(six femmes besides herself and 
two males) appear three different 
times during the current card. 
Chief asset of the outfit is its col- 
lection of costumes, running from 
variegated tights to glow-in-the- 
dark attire. Chief faults — poor 
routine, poor precision. 

Responsibility for sloppiness 
, seems to rest with Miss Allen. Not 
only does she fail to select experi- 
enced terpers and then give them 
something to do, but she does not 
give a strong lead to her hirelings. 

Art. 


on the Comedy Hour so that it 
would reach a maximum viewing 
audience. Hope made the New 
Year’s eve jaunt to Greenland to 
entertain troops stationed there, 
with his troupe. 

"I had nothing to do. with the 
hiring of the cameramen, but I 
understand these are the same guys 
the. Army uses to photograph 
A-bomb blasts,” said the comedian. 

Hope mentioned the flight to 
Greenland is a hazardous and long 
one. and “it would have been much 
more comfortable just staying 
home and having the show filmed 
here In Hollywood,” But, he added, 
the trip was made to hypo morale 
of troops, and AFM prexy James 
C. Petrilio was so eager to co- 
operate tow'ard this end he granted 
clearance for the 150-piece Air 
Force band to make the trip from 
Washington, D. C., to join Hope 
for the show up north. 

The comedian mentioned he is a 
member of many showbiz unions — 
at least 12 — and is a former prexy 
of American Guild of Variety Art- 
ists. No money was saved on the 
Greenland trip, be emphasized. 

During World War II Hope was 
the most active of all Hollywood 
names participating before U. S. 
troops throughout the world, and 
one year he passed up three pix 
commitments at Paramount to ap- 
pear before the troops, sacrificing 
$1,500,000. Hope also donated all 
royalties to his tome, “I Never Left 
Home/’ to the National War Fund, 
with the coin said to approximate 
$175,000. Ironically, Hope has also 
done benefits before photographers 
unions. 


China Rads 


Continued front #aa« 1 


JIT-BOPS 

Dance 
8 Mins. 

Empire. Glasgow 

Youthful jiving group, direct 
from Paris, comprise three males 
and three femmes, who work ener- 
getically with lots of movement in 
modern Gallic style, to win jazz 
and rhythm fans. ■ .< ‘ . . * 

Against a symbolically wnodern 
backcloth, the Gallic sextet la a 
flashy terping team as they jive 
rapid-style across stage In pairs, 


the number two star in Shanghai, 
who plays the lead in each play, 
owns the costumes and sets and di- 
rects and produces each show. 

Informality is the keynote at 
Chinese opera with the orchestra 
smoking during recitative breaks, 
sipping tea and even removing 
shoes for a bit of toe scratching 
Likewise, the performers seem to 
have fun, with principals playing 
to the front rows of the audience 
with a great deal of coyness. 

The theatre is a place to enjoy 
yourself. And the audience does 
just that. In back of each chair 
is a rack for a glass of tea, fried 
rolls of batter-wrapped sea food 
are served by attendants. Smok- 
ing is allowed and throughout the 
performance groups of patrons, 
bored with a particular scene, 
strike up animated conversations 
among themselves or wander out 
of the house for a shoit stroll in 
the lobby. Anything is permitted 
from the audience except during 
the appearance of Miss Chiang — 
then utter silence descends on the 
house as complete attention is paid 
to her. To walk out while she is 
on, even if your comfort depended 
on it, would be the utmost gauch- 
jerle. 


The Palace is operating under t 
unusual circumstances this week. 
For the first time in the history 
of this house since its latter-day 
vaude resumption, there’s a hold- 
over picture with a new stageshow. 
Business seems to be holdj^ig up. 
However, the new vauder fails to 
get off the ground until compara- 
tively late in the proceedings. 
Show has an even gait, with a 
minimum of movement, until the 
appearance of a few vets in this 
house gives the session a strong 
sendoff. 

It gets an okay start with Me- 
II arris & Dolores, a Negro hoofing 
duo, who get good response. The 
big boy is extraordinarily light on 
his feet, and the femme gets over 
okay. But the strength in the turn 
lies in the male. 

The magic by Ching, working 
the deuce, seems to be a victim 
of spotting. Later on in the bill, 
he would have gotten the response 
he’s become accustomed to in this 
house. Ching works easily at card 
manipulations and gets off some 
good deceptions, but response isn’t 
as heavy as it generally is for 
him. 

In the trey. Hank Sieman’s 
ventriloquy comes to life late in 
the act, When he gets audience 
volunteers to pantomime for his 
patter. Lad is in dire need of ma- 
terial. His gab with the dummy 
contains some long and. arid 
stretches. 

In the next-to-closing slot, Ken 
Whitmer, displays his usual pro- 
ficiency at an assortment of musi- 
cal instruments^Whitmer’s comedy 
instrumentalizing hits its mark 
most effectively. His efforts at the 
end to show his versaility at every 
instrument in the catalog slow up 
his turn, especially when he goes 
into the pit for bits at the piano 
and drums. He has a comely as- 
sistant who sets up a few laughs 
for him. Altogther, it’s a solid 
turn. 

Closing Is by the Tokayer 
Troupe, a sextet of male teeter- 
boarders and tumblers. This family 
group displays a lot of tricks, in- 
cluding three highs and some ex- 
cellent long distance catches. They 


Apollo. A. Y. 

Bill Kenny, Eddie Bonnemere 
Orch (13), Hortense Allen & 
Chorus <9), Cook & Broicn, Car- 
men McRae, Frank Marlowe ; 
“ Tennessee Champ” (M*G). 

Headliner Bill Kenny (soloing 
as “Mr. Inkspot himself”) has the 
knowhow, but fails to generate any 
great excitement here, and the 
secondary turns, Carmen McRae 
and 88er Eddie Bonnemere and 
orch, while pleasant to listen to, 
haven’t got sufficient name pull 
to make it a hot b.o. week. 

Kenny, showing his age (he’d been 
with the Inkspots for ages, he him- 
self admits), leans heavily on 
memorabilia. * He. does a medley 
of old hits that lasts for a full 
15 minutes. Some of the more 
w.k. numbers as well as some of 
the better ones are “To Each His 
Own.” "Maybe,” “My Echo, My 
Shadow and Me” and Kenny’s big 
one, "Do I Worry.” Stuff is okay 
but it appears he’s depending more 
heavily on the “good old days” 
appeal than on the quality of his 
delivery. It doesn’t quite come off. 

Carmen McRae does a mixed 
foursome and draws hefty returns. 
Thrush is pretty as well as having 
neat pipes. Big tune is her “Foggy 
Day.” Eddie Bonnemere, who 
follows the femme, has a smooth 
novelty orch, a pleasant deviation 
from standard rhythm & blues. 
Batoner works on a very stylized 
piano, baeked mostly by a large 
percussion section. As a matter of 
fact, the three bongos, a drum (and 
a bass on rhythm) work four times 
as much with the leader as the 
remaining seven tooters. Inciden- 
tally, Bonnemere is excellent back- 
stopping on all other turns. 

Much after the fashion of Apollo 
faves Stump and Stumpy, Cook and 
Brown do some fast terp-comedics 
with incidental vocalizing. The 
male duo works challenge and 
slapstick dives for okay reward. 
Ofay monologist Frank Marlowe 
and the Hortense Allen crew (New 
Acts) round out the sesh. Marlowe 
Is on stage too long with meaning- 
less chatter. When he gets past 
punchless lines, he fills with 
archaic routines. Only time he gets 
above his norm is at brief times 
during hokum with the Bonnemere 
bandsmen. Art. 


'Janie, Make With The Lungs’ 


Continue* from pate 1 


endowed Miss Russell prepared to 
go underwater equipped with 
breathing gear. “Janie, make with 
the lungs!” was the quip. 

The Junket of 156 arrived from 
Hollywood and Manhattan in TWA 
planes landing in Tampa and 
Jacksonville, respectively, and 
were brought in by bus to this 
backwater tourist trap in northern 
mid-Florida. TWA, like RKO, Is 
controlled by Howard Hughes. 
While the stunt was obvious 
enough, and strictly in showbiz 
tradition of anything-for-a-news- 
break, cheesecake has never done 
better this side of Lindy’s as the 
femmes competed with the marine 
flora and fauna. 

The screen stood in 25 feet of 
water, the projector was water- 
proof, suspended from, the keel of 
a boat. There were benches set 
up on the lake’s floor. Guests 
“dressed” for the occasion. 

Turn Blue For Their Art 

Plainly it was a cold, cold 
plunge into the crystal-clear 
springs for Miss Russell, her co- 
star Richard Egan and a handful 
of newsgals and newsmen who ac- 
tually braved immersion. As Miss 
Russell waded into the lake a wag 
cracked, “This looks like a new 
finish for ‘A Star Is Born,’ ” and 
that added to the general gaiety 
since nobody took the thing too 
seriously. 

There was an added attraction 
for the photogs in an unknown 
named Jane Mansfield. How she 
got included in the party from 
Hollywood Is unknown at the mo- 
ment. But she proved worth her 
weight in cheesecake to the affair. 
A blonde who fits onepiece suits or 
Bikinis like skin fits sausage, with 
bumps where the blueprint ealls 
for ’em, Miss Mansfield is a road 
company Marilyn Monroe. She 
went underwater to see the pic- 
ture but it was generally agreed 
by the press that the aqualung was 


as redundant in her case aa in Miss 

Russell’s. 

There was no estimate available 
today on what this exploitation 
stunt cooked up by Perry Lieber 
and his staff costs RKO. But what- 
ever the amount it was worth it aa 
a tremendous publicity kickoff for 
“Underwater” (which is reviewed 
in this issue of Variety, as caught 
in Hollywood, not downstairs in the 
lake). Tills kind of enterprise is 
of the essence of creative film 
showmanship. 

Jane Russell, Richard Egan and 
Lori Nelson, stars of picture, 
headed the Hollywood contingent. 
Other film names included Mala 
Powers, Barbara Darrow, Gordon 
Scott, Jayne Mansfield and Rose- 
marie Bowe. 

On the television front, person- 
alities who arrived to cover the 
event included Steve ^llen, Dave 
Garroway, Sheila Graham, George 
Fisher, Shirley Thomas. “Queen 
for a Day” and NBC and CBS 
newsreels also will be present for 
coverage. 


Ike Asks 


Continued from pait 7 


tell the American story to the re- 
mainder of ths world, Eisenhower 
told Congress. 

He said that in a later special 
message, he will specifically “re- 
commend the establishment of a 
Federal Advisory Commission on 
the arts, within the Department of 
Health, Education and Welfare, to 
advise the Federal Government on 
ways to encourage artistic en- 
deavor and appreciation.” 

This is in line with legislation 
proposed in recent Congresses, and 
already in the present one, for 
such a commission and for a na- 
tional theatre a/id opera house to 
be built in Washington. 


66 


Wednesday, January 12, 1935 


VARIETY BILLS 

WEEK OF JANUARY 12 

Numerals In connection with bills below indicate opening day of show 
whether full or split week 

Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit. (D Independent; <L) Loew; (M) Moss; 
'Pi Paramount; <R> RKO; <S> Stoll; <T> Tivoli; <W> Warner 


NEW YORK CITY 
Music Hall (I) H 

Shirlee Emmons 
Georxe Sawtelle 
William Upshaw 
Edward Powell 
Shellie Farrell 
Eric Hutson 
Clausons Famous 
Rears 
Ramses 
Ro( kettes 
Corps de Ballet 
S> m Ore 

Palace <R> 12 


Royal Rockets 
Chet Clark 
Freddie A Flo 
Bo!> Hannon 
HiKoletto Bros 
M Nelson A B de 
Doye 

Kowena Rollins 
MarceiU A Jams 
CHICAGO 
Chicago (P) 12 
Julius l.a Rosa 
Kitty Fallen 
Gary Morton 


P Lawrence A M 

AUSTRALIA 


MELBOURNE 
Princess (T> 10 

Jean Sablon 
Chris Cross 
Guss Brox A Myrna 
Ron Parry 
3 Hellos 

Irving A Gird wood 
Eddie Lynn 
Dale Gower 
Show Girls 
Dancing Boys 
Dale Gower 
Patricia Raye 
Helen Stocks 
Shirley Murrdiy 
Jennifer Eddy 
Eddie Edwards 
Mel Clifford 
.William Eastham 
Robert Herbert 
Lewis Jacob 

Tivoli <T> 10 
Roy Barbour 
T Eontane A K 
Vaughn 

Margaret Brown 
Julian Somers 
Nina Cooke 
David Eadie 
John Blulhal 
The Chadells 
Arthur Gorman 
lan Field 
Maureen Helman 
Helen Walker 


Jean Ross 

Tivoli Celebrity S ; 
Tivolovlies 

PERTH 

His Majestys (T) 10 

Michael Bentine 
Buck A Chic 
2 Myruns 
Seyler lleylen 
Max Blake 
Irene Bevans 
Beryl Carline 
James Blake 
Phillip Edtfiey 
Ronald Graham 
A McLean 
Val Coburn 
Paula Cantello 
SYDNEY 
Tivoli (T) 10 
David Hughes 
Howell A Radcliffe 
VV Latona A Sparks 
Francis Van Dyk 
Jenny Howard 
Jim Gerald 
Balcombes 
Dancing Roys 
Betty Linke 
Billy Andr<»s 
Ronnie Shand 
Robert Burns 
Tom Tobv 
Dawn O'Connor 
Wentlv Burr 


Cabaret Bills 


NEW YORK CITY 


BIRDLAND 

Count Basie 
Geo Shearing 
Sarah Vaughan 
Lester Young 
Jimmy Rushing 
Bon Soil 
Tony A Eddie 
Jimmy Daniels 
Blus Angel 
Orson Bean 
Portia Nelson 
Helen Haipin 
Larks 

Bart Howard 
Jimmy Lyons Trio 
Chatosu Madrid 
Ralph Font Ore 
Mava Ore 
Hotel Ambassader 
Guintero Ore 
Sarkozi Ore 

Hotel Pierre 
Marguerite Piazza 
Stanley Melba Ore 
Copacabana 
Dennis Day 
King Sis 
Cerneys 
Bob Sweeney 
Peter Conlow 
Jean Stevens 
M Ourso r*»c 
Frank Marti Ore 
Gale's 
Alan Gale 
Jackie Heller 
Warner A McGuire 
Larry Foster 
Teddy King Ore 
No. I Fifth Ave 
Bob Downey 
Harold Fonville 
Hazel Webster 
Hotel Plaza 
De Marcos 
Jenny Collins 
Ted Straeter Ore 
Mark Monte Ore 
Hotel Roosevelt 
Guy Lombardo Ore 
Hotel St Regis 
Billy Daniels 
Georgette D’Arey 
Milt Shaw Ore 
Ray Bari 

Hotel Statier 
T & J Dorsey Ore 
Hotel Taft 
Vlncenl Lopez On 
Latin Quarter 
Johnnie Ray 
Wiere Bros 


Chiquita A Johnson 

Bas Sheva 

Clarissa 

Melodears 

Harmoneers 

Piroska 

Art Waiter Ore 
B Harlowc Ore 
Le Ruban Bleu 
Julius Monk 
Norman Paris 3 
Little Club 
L’Apaghe 
Faconi 
Jules Kuti 
Rudy Tinifield 
Patio 

Gleb Yellin Ore 
Two Guitars 
Kostya Poliansky 
Misha UsdanotT 
Lubov Hamshay 
Aliya Uno 

Versailles 
••Bon Voyage" 

Paul Gray 
Louise Hoff 
Tommy Wander 
Margaret Banks 
Rosemary O’Reilly 
Carl Conway 
Betty Colby 
Ann Andre 
Rain Winslow 
Danny Carroll 
Danny Desmond 
Don Dellair 
Jim Sisco 
Salvatore Gioe On 
Panchlto Ore 
Viennese Lantern 
Helene Aimee 
Dolores Perry 
Bela Bizony 
Ernest Schoen 
Paul Mann 
Charles Albert 
Village Barn 
Hal Graham 
Senna & Gyle 
Jack Wallace 
Givens A Ferris 
Marv Ellen Trio 
Larry McMahan 
Piute Pete 

Waldorf-Astoria 
Dinah Shore 
Nat Brandw.vnne 
Mischa Borr 
Village Vanguard 
Stan Freeman 
Sylvia S.vms 
C Williams Trio 


CHICAGO 


Black Orchid / 

Robert Clary 
Mello-Larks 
Naomi Stevens 
Rudy Kerpays Duo 
Blue Angel 
"Calypso 
Jamboree” 

Phyllis Branch 
Count Davilie 
Lady Tina 
Joe-n-bodi Dcrs 
A1 D’Laey Quintet 
Blue Note 
Stan Getz Quartet 
Herb Taylor Trio 
Lou Levy 

Chez Pare# 
George Jessel 
Joyce Bryant 
Terry Sisters 
Brian Farnon Ore 
Cloister Inn 
Laurie All.vn 


Ralph Sharon 
Ace Harris 
Dick Marx 
Johnny Frigo 
Conrad Hilton 
’Skating Stars' 
Margie Lee 
Cathy A Rlair 
Shirley Linde 
Weidemanns 
Polo 

Perky Twins 
Jimmy Caesar 
Eileen Carroll 
Ray McIntosh 
B Dears A Dons 
Frankie Masters Ori 
Palmer House 
I. os Chavales 
de Espana 
Trin i Reves 
Empire F.ighf 
Charlie Fisk Ore 


LOS ANGELES 


Ambassador Hotel 

Manuel Capetftlo 
Chandra Kuly 
F Martin Ore 
Band Box 
Mickey Katz 
Larry Green Trio 
Bar of Music 
Alice Tyrrell 
Dave Gardner 
Kcnnv Pierce 
Geri Galian Ore 
Biltmore Hotel 
Sue Carson 


Gal. Gal. 
Cheerleaders <5) 
Villenaves i2> 

Hal Dcrwin Ore 

Ciro's 

j Will Mastin Trio 
Trio Gypsy 
Dick Stablie Ore 
Bobby Kamos Ore 

Charley Foy» 

Carl Ravazza 
Tommy Dugan 
Charley Koy 
Mary Foy 


A Browne Ore 
Crescendo 

L Armstrong Ore 
Mocambo 
Billy Ward’s D 
Paul Hebert Ore. 
Joe Castro Four 
Moulin Rouge 
Frank Libuse 
Margot Brander 
Szonys (2> 

Miss Malta A Co 


Flamingo 

Tony Martin 
Coolers 

Sands 

Lena Horne 
G Tapps Dners 

Desert Inn 

Jimmy Durante 


Clover crub 

Sherry Britton 
Luis Torrens 
Baron Buika 
Betty Ford 
Tony Lopez Ore 
Selma Marlowe l.tne 
Woody Woodbury 
Latin Quarter 
Bcttv A Jane Kean 
Yvonne Menard 
Stuart Morgan 3 
Kathy Barr 
Ray & Gomez 
Renita Kramer 
Lucien A Ashour 
"Excess Baggage” 
Ralph Young 
Gaby Bruyere 
Lee Sharon 
Arne Barnett Ore 
Mand.v Campo Ore 
J Renard Strings 
Leon A Eddie * 
Lois De Fee 
Toni Rave 
Rose Ann 
Rita Marlow 
Charlotte Watere 
Nautilus Hotel 
Jackie Miles 
D’Orsay Duo 
Antone & Ina 
Sid Stanley Ore 
Black Orchid 
Jo Thompson 
Richard Cannon 
Count Smith 
Sans Souci Hote* 
Joel Grey 
Sacasas Ore 
Ann Herman Drrs 

Saxony Hotel 

Ted Lewis A Co 
Frank Stanley Ore 
Tano A Dee 
Nirva 

Freddy Calo Ore 
Johnny Silvers Ore 
Frank Stanley Ore 

Bombay Hotel 

Phil Brito 
Nelida 
Peter Mack 
Sandra Barton 
Johnlna Hotel 
B S Pully 
Sam Bari • 

Harry Rogers Ore 
Bobbie Lynn 
DILldo Hotel 
Bea Kalmus 


Doubledaters <4) 
Mme Ardelty 
Jery LaZarre 
Ffolliot Charlton 
Tony Gentry 
Gaby Wooldridge 
Luis Urbina 
Eileen Christy 
Bob Snvder Ore 
Statier Hotel 
Ella Logan 
Skinnay Ennis Ore 


Last Frontier 

Xavier Cugat 
Abbe Lane 
Shecky Greene 

Thunderbird 
Polly Bergen 

El Rancho Vegas 

Sophie Tucker 


Cross A Dunn 
Wally Wanger Line 
Fausto Curbelo Ore- 
Vanity Fair 
Pat Morrisey 
Havana Cuban Boys 
3 Toues 
Jerry* Brandow 
Club 22 
Paula Watson 
Three Peppers 
Bar of Music 
Bill Jordan 
Hal Fisher 
Beth Challts 
Harvey Bell 
Fred Thompson 
Isle De Capri 
Ruth Wallis 
The Nitwits 
Wally Hankin Ore 
Cepa City 
Mae West 
Tony Dexter 
Richard DuBois 
Louise Beavers 
Eileen O’Dare 
Doodles &* Skeeter 
June Taylor Line 
Red Caps 
David Tyler Ore 
Fontainebleau 
Patti Page 
Lecuana Cuban B 
La Plata Sextette 
Val Olman Ore 
Beachcomber 
Lenny Kent 
Novelites 3 
Kaye Ballard 
Notyian Brooks 
Winged Victory C 
Jesse. J A Jackson 
Casablanca 
Billy Daniels 
Myron Cohen 
Kramer Dancers 
Jacques Donnet Ore 
Balmoral Hotel 
Kay Thompson 
Jack Whiting 
Einil Coleman Ore 
The Spa 
Sammy Walsh 
Preacher Rollo 5 
Ciro's 
The Treniers 
Vagabonds Club 
Vagabonds 4 
The Dunhills 
Martha Bentley 
Charlie Farrell 
Frank Linale Ore 


LAS VtGAS 


MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH 


RENO 


Mapes Skyroom 

Happy Jesters 
Ryan A McDonald 
Dunn Arden Skylets 
E Fitzpatrick Ore 

Naw Golden 

Gaylords 

Yonely 


Tommy Conine 
Will Osborne ore 
Riverside 
Romo Vincent 
Barry Sisters 
Rudy Horn 
Starlets 

Bill Clifford ore 
Betty Joyce 


HAVANA 


Tropicana 

Tex Mex 
D’Huff 

Leonela Gonzalez 
Henry Boyer 
M A Blanco 
Tropicana Ballet 
Solera Espana Orq 
A Romeu Orq 
Senen Suarez Orq 
San Souci 

Carmen Amaya 
Olga Chaviano 
Chas Chase 
Aurora Roche 


Rivero Singers 
Juana Bacallao 
Ray Carson 
K Ortega Orq 
C Rodriguez Orq 
Montmartre 
Alba Marina 
L Dulzaides Q 
j Nancy A Rolando 
lvette de la Euente 
Zenia 

Martha Veliz 
Monseigneur Orq 
Montmartre Ballet 
Casino Pla.va Orq 
Fajardo Orq 


NEWPORT, KY. 


Beverly Hills 

Beverlee Dennis 
3 Rockets 

Stan Kramer A Co 
E Lindsay Dners 


Dick Hyde 
G Benedict Ore 
Jimmy Wilbur Trio 
Larry Vincent 


1 956 Conventions 

Continued from page 1 

together in time as possible. The 
commentator pointed out that in 
’52 it took television $750,000 to 
construct the special facilities nec- 
essary for televising a convention, 
and that it should cost even more 
in ’56. < Special facilities, over 

and above ordinary tv installations, 
mean outfitting the convention hall 
with the proper equipment, also 
setting aside rooms for interviews 
and the like.) Henry declared that 
if the Republicans and Democrats 
hold conventions in different cities 
i and there is no agreemnt for ’56 
disallowing this) it would cost the 
tv industry a minimum of $1,500. 
000 to £et up installations. And 
once setting the convention spot, 
it’s desired that the two political 
parties hold meets closely in time 
so that rentals and maintenance on 
equipment won’t run too high. Ten- 
T?itive plans now call for about a 
two-week spread between conven- 
tions. 

Aware that tv will play okay role 


in influencing the election of the 
next President, convention plan- 
ners have promised to consider 
Henry’s advice before making final 
decisions. 

It’s felt here in the capital that 
j the reason for both the Democrats 
and Republicans moving their con- 
vention dates, to late August and 
September, instead of the earlier 
summer slots they’ve held hereto- 
fore, is to make as much capital of 
wide tv coverage closer to the ac- 
tual election. New time situation 
is expected ease stumping by pres- 
idential candidates. 

In addition to chairman Henry, 
the new Convention Committee of 
the Rudio-TV Correspondent’s Gal- 
lery has William Shadel, CBS, as 
vicechairman; and as committee- 
men G. W. Kingsbury, WWL, 
Cincy; William Higgenbotham, UP 
Press Films; Joseph McCaffrey, 
McCaffrey Reports; Harold Mc- 
Grath and Robert JVlenaugh, super- 
intendents of the radio-tv galleries 
of the Senate and House, respec- 
tively. 

During the 1948 presidential con- 
ventions tv was used for the first 
time. However, it was still radio’s 
show since sight-and-sound was of- 
fered on a limited hookup under 
Life mag sponsorship. 


Metro Takes 

Continued from page S 

hemisphere rights in return for 
an assurance that every effort 
would be made to obtain major 
distribution. The second Minter j 
production. “Our Girl Friday.” 
landed at 20th. The third, “Grand j 
National Night,” has been taken 
on by Allied Artists. This leaves 
“Dance Little Lady” to find its 
distribution groove. Negotiations 
for the Renown trio were con- 
ducted by Richard Gordon, prez 
of Renown Pictures of America, 
and Richard Brandt, Trans-Lux 
topper. 

The last time Metro took on aft 
outside production for U. S. dis- 
tribution was when it acquired 
“From Main Street to Broadway.” 
Before that, it had “Pandora and 
the Flying Dutchman,” which 
starred Ava Gardner, a Metro 
contract player. 


No Perfect Studio 

Continued from page 1 

that they are far from being the 
answer. 

As I visualize the prefect tv thea- 
tre studio which I believe would 
overcome these problems, I see a 
studio built as a theatre with the 
control rooms on the sides and the 
audience seats running all the way 
back into the house but at enough 
elevation so that the people could 
see the stage as well as the large 
screen. In its natural and correct 
place would be the orchestra pit as 
conceived many many years ago. 
However this pit would be con- 
structed in a’ modern manner and 
with our modern electronic sound 
requirements in mind. 

| Cueing ’Em In 

This orchestra pit or a better 
name would be orchestra shell, 
should be deep enough and large 
enough to keep the music from en- 
tering the boom mikes by virtue of 
the fact that the proper acoustical 
treatment and also enough width 
would be provided to enable the 
audio man to mikp and control the 
music at all times. At the same 
time the conductor should be ele- 
vated to enable him to be in con- 
trol of all the elements as far as 
cueing entrances and conducting 
musical numbers that require per- 
sonal contact, (arias, etc.). This pit 
or shell would be to a certain de- 
gree back under the performer’s 
stage. However it must be and can 
be designed carefully to get the 
proper sound values. Speakers 
could be set up in the deeper stag- 
ing areas so the people working in 
those areas could always hear the 
music. 

This theatre studio would do all 
the things I’m sure everyone would 
like but are unable to attain with 
the present setup. Namely, allow 
the comedians (or other perform- 
ers) to see and be seen by the audi- 
ence. allow the conductor to be in 
corttrol of all situations and above 
all allow the proper mixing of 
voice and music with no confused 
sound and finally and just as im- 
portant if not more so from a mu- 
sical director’s standpoint, enable 
us to have music sound as weir on 
tv as it does on radio, records or 
films, short of prerecording. 


OBITUARIES 


CHARLES V. YATES fin the Mule.” With her husband, 

Charles V. Yates. 52. an inde- Robert Seile, she formed an inter- 
pendent agent for many years, died , nationally known dance team 25 
Jan. 9 at Palm Springs. Cal. i years ago. Her brother is film actor 

* Further details in vaude section. John Mills. 


SETH ARNOLD 

Seth Arnold, 70, vet actor,, died 
Jan. 3 in New York. Arnold, who 
begun his stage career in 1901 with 
the Castle Square Stock Co. in 
Boston, was born in London of 
American parents. After serving in 
World War I, he became a legit 
director, staging shows in Boston, 
Chicago, St. Louis and Jersey 
City. His activity in lire theatre 
covered a half-century. 

After a period of directing, 
Arnold returned to acting in 1927, 
appearing on Broadway in “The 
Arabian Nightmare.” This was fol- 
lowed by appearances in “Quick- 
sand” (1928), “Steel” (1931). 
“Mourning Becomes Electra” 
(1-932), “Pursuit of Happiness,” 


CARRIE BRIDEWELL 

Mrs. Carrie Bridewell Benedict, 
75, actress and former opera and 
concert contralto, who- performed 
professionally as Carrie Bridewell, 
died Jan. 6 in New York. A proto- 
gee of Polish soprano Marcella 
Sembrich, she sang in opera houses 
in London, Vienna, Dresden and 
Breslau. 

Miss Bridewell made her debut 
in 1900 at the Metropolitan Opera 
in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” At 
the Met she sang 10 different roles 
and appeared in its premiere of 
Ernest Reyer’s “Salammbo.” After 
World War I she was seen in 
“Music in the Air,” “Storm Over 
Patsy,” "Far Off Hills.” “Moon 
Over Mulberry Street” and “The 


IN LOVING MEMORY OF 

ALLEN T. SPARROW 

January 14, 1951 

JIMMIE, ALLYN and BOYD 


“Tommy” and “Unto the Third” 
(1933), and “Symphony” and “Ah, 
Wilderness” (1935). 

Arnold was seen in 1939 with 
Helen Hayes in “What Every 
Woman Knows’’ and also per- 
formed with the actress in “Har- 
riet” in 1943. Other plays in which 
he was cast included “Conquest,” 
“Clash By Night.” “Last Stop,” “A 
Place of Our Own,” “A Joy For- 
ever.” “I Like It Here” and “Year’s 
Ago.” After a few years in Holly- 
wood. he returned to Broadway in 
1950 in “Arms and the Girl.” 

Surviving are his actress-wife, 
professionally known as Laurie 
McVicker, and four sisters. 


H. TED ROUTSON 

H. Ted Routson, 56, Baltimore 
film house manager, died Jan. 3 
in that city of double pneumonia 
complicated by a heart condition. 
Born in Waynesboro. Pa., he was 
active as a youth there in amateur 
theatricals with the late Tom 
Brenneman. After serving in 


Children’s Hour,” among other 
plays. 

Her road appearances included 
“Tobacco Road.” “George Wash- 
ington Slept Here.” "Night Must 
Fall,” “My Sister Eileen,” “Liliom” 
and “I Remember Mama.” On tele- 
vision she was seen in “Studio 
One,” “Mr. Peepers,” “Suspense,” 
“Big Town,” “Medallion Theatre.” 
“Man "Against Crime.” “Danger” 
and “Lux Video Theatre.” 

A brother survives. 


GRACE LAIR 

Mrs. Grace Gaylord Rebeck, who 
once acted in silent films and sang 
on the concert stage under the 
name of Grace Lair, died Jan. 5 in. 
Cleveland. After her first marriage 
she formed and managed the mu- 
sical Gaylord Trio, consisting of 
herself, and daughters, Gayle and 
Gloria Gaylord, who later added 
Jack Walton to the act. It toured 
the Keith-Albee circuit, appeared 
several months with Jack Hylton’s 
orch in London and played niteries 


IN MEMORY OF 

WILLIE HOWARD 


April 13, 1886 — Jan. 12, 1949 

EUGENE, SAM and CELIA 


World War I. he toured with sev- 
eral indoor circuses and was seen 
on the road in “Two Black Crows.” 

In 1931. he joined the I. M. Rap- 
paport film chain as manager of 
the Keswick Theatre in suburban 
Philadelphia. Subsequently when 
the Rappaport operation was 
moved to Baltimore, Routson be- 
came manager of the Hippodrome, 
then a combo vaude and pix house. 
In this post he was responsible for 
juvenile talent shows on Saturday 
mornings that became a Baltimore 
institutin during the ’30s and the 
early ’40s. 

In 1945, due to failing health. 
Routson switched to managerial 
duties at the Little, a small art 
theatre operated by Rappaport. 
In 1952, moved to the Sehwaber 
chain and became, manager of the 


IN MEMORY OF 

Henry Berlinghoff 

Jan. 10. 1954 


Playhouse, a post he held at the 
time of his death. 


ANNETTE MILLS 

Annette Mills, 60. oldtime variety 
artist and more recently creator of 
one of Britain's best known tv 
puppets, “Muffin the Mule,” died 
Jan. 10 in London. She intro- 
duced the novelty song and dance, 
“Boomps-a-Daisy,” which brought 
her back to the stage as a singer 
after an accident to one of her 
legs in 1930 had ended her danc- 
ing career. The dance was used in 
the 1939 edition of “Hellzapoppin’,” 
at the Winter Garden in New York. 

During the second World War 
Miss Mills composed a popular 
British marching song, “Adolf.” a 
musical dig at Hitler. Afterwards 
she became a tv entertainer sing- 
ing children’s songs on a puppet 
show, also being the voice of "Muf- 


before breaking up. During her 
early career Mrs. Rebeck was the 
original Miss Coca-Cola * 5 ?irl of 
that company’s advertisements. 

Surviving are her second hus- 
band. Steven Rebeck, her three 
daughters, Gayle Gaylord, Mrs. 
Gloria Abbey. Mrs. Carol Evans, a 
son, four sisters and a brother. 


FRANCIS LAIDLER 

Francis Laidler, 87, impresario 
known as the “King of Panto- 
mime,” died in Bradford, Eng., 
Jan. 6 after a short illness. For 
over 50 years he staged traditional, 
pantomimes in theatres in London 
and the English provincial cities. 

Laidler began life as a theatre 
clerk. Up to his last illness he had 
staged more than 250 pantomimes, 
many in Leeds and Bradford. He 
had a custom of always making 
one personal - appearance in each 
of his pantomimes. In “Aladdin.” 
for example, he would put on 
Abanazar’s cloak and go on the 
stage for a few minutes to speak 
some lines he had penned. 

His wife survives. 


RAYMOND A. BEALL 

Raymond A. Beall, 55, Dallas ad 
agency owner, died Jan. 5. in that 
city. He was Metro’s regional pub- 
licity director there from 1925 to 
1929. when he joined Interstate 
Theatres as ad director. 

During World War II Beall was 
assigned to the film industry by 
Interstate to direct publicity in 
.the Third, Fifth and Victory War 
Bond campaigns. He won several 
achievement citations from the 
Treasury Dept, for his work in 
those drives. He formed his own 
agency in 1949. 

Surviving are his wife, a son 
and a sister. 


LEON DODD 

Leon Dodd (Leonard Dodwell), 
56, comedian and producer, died 
Dec. 7 at Whitley Bay, Eng. He 
toured and produced his own shows 
from 1924, when he w r as one of 
Britain’s youngest theatrical pro- 
(Continued on page 751 




January 12, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


67 


ANTA Album Closed-Circuit Feed 
To Film Houses on Straight Rentals 


Realtor-producer Roger L. St£-< 
vens and City Investing Co. toppef 
Robert W. Dowling have put up 
$100,000 as a guarantee for the 
proposed joint ANTA-CARE closed- 
circuit theatre telecast of the 
ANTA Album. The Stevens-Dowl- 
ing coin is being placed in escrow 
to be used as an emergency fund 
in case ANTA and CARE cannot 
meet their final payments for 
rental of houses with theatre tv 
installations. 

Under the arrangement with ex- 
hibitors, ANTA and CARE are rent- 
ing the theatres on a four-wall 
basis. The sponsoring orgs, in ad- 
dition, will foot both the long line 
and local loop costs. The theatres 
have worked out a liberal payment 
plan with the non-profit groups 
since the event is in the nature of a 
charity event. At the signing of 
a contract with a theatre, ANTA 
and CARE will pay 10% of the 
rental price, with 40% due a week 
before, and the final 50% being 
paid from receipts after the event. 
The $100,000 will serve as protec- 
tion lor exhibitors should the 
ANTA Album fail to come up to 
expectations as a b.o. attraction. 
The rental price for each theatre 
depends on size and location of 
the house. 

The existence of the Stevens- 
Dowling "emergency” fund was de- 
nied by Williard Swire, national 
director of ANTA, but it was con- 
firmed by another spokesman iden- 
tified with the closed-circuit proj- 
ect. The initial 10% and 40% pay- 
ments are being made by CARE. 

Originally scheduled for a 
February date, the closed-circuit- 
ing ot the Album has now been set 
for March 2 at 10:30 p.m. est. A 
lineup of 46 theatres is anticipated. 
CARE, which is handling the busi- 
ness end of the deal, has already 
made line reservations with the 
American Telephone & Telegraph 
company. 

On the basis of the expected 
hookup, ANTA and CARE are eye- 
ing a gross of $600,000. with the 
take after expenses being split 
down the middle. Local CARE of- 
fices will supervise the sale of 
tickets which are priced at $10, $6 
and $4. Should there be a box- 
oflice sale, the men behind the 
wickets will have to be members 
of the Treasurers and Ticket Sell- 
ers Union <IATSE). Deals have 
also be concluded with all the 
other theatrical unions. ' 

ANTA and CARE are hopeful 
that the ANTA Album will be an 
annual closed-circuit event. A 
five-year joint sponsorship ar- 
rangement has been concluded. 

The Album will originate from 
the Adelphi Theatre. N. Y., with a 
Dumont crew handling the tele- 
casting. 


All Tied Up 

With name legit directors 
in almost as frantic demand as 
name playwrights, it has re- 
mained for realtor-producer 
Roger L. Stevens to come up 
with the Ingenious device for 
keeping a string on a hot 
stager. Stevens has arranged 
office space for Elia Kazan in 
the Gaiety Theatre Building, 

N. Y. Property is owned by 
City Investing Co., of which 
Stevens is a board member 
and substantial stockholder. 

Stevens denies gossip in the 
trade to the effect that Kazan 
is getting the office space rent- 
free, but doesn’t reveal how 
much the rental is. Stevens 
is a member of the Play- 
wrights Co., and is partnered 
with producer Robert White- 
head and City Investing pres- 
ident Robert W. Dowling in 
Producers Theatre. Kazan is 
lated to stage the new Ten- 
nessee Williams play, "Cat on 
a Tin Roof,” which the Play- 
wrights Co. is in line to pro- 
duce. 

BBC Telecast Revives 
‘Gillian’ Interest; Pic 
Deal, B’way Prod. Pend 

Sock reception accorded a BBC 
television production of "Waiting 
for Gillian” has reactivated inter- 
est in the Ronald Miller play, 
which had a brief London run last 
spring. Alexander Korda and 
M-G-M are dickering for the film 
rights and there is renewed pros- 
pect of a Broadway production. 

The play, adapted from Nigel 
Belchin’s novel, "A Way Through 
the Wood,” preemed at the St. 
James’ Theatre, London, last April. 
The video presentation, an expan- 
sion of the legit version, was given 
a repeat performance over the 
BBC after the favorable initial air- 
ing. 

"Gillian” was done in the West 
End by Laurence Olivier Produc- 
tions, Ltd., by arrangement with 
Broadway producers Albert Selden 
& Morton Gottlieb. Latter duo 
still hold the American legit rights 
and have been negotiating with 
Joan Fontaine to appear in a con- 
templated Broadway production 
next season. 


Donald Cook Raising 
Money for ‘Champagne’ 

Donald Cook, who’ll co-star in 
"Champagne Complex" with Peggy 
Ann Gamer, is apparently associ- 
ated in the production of the Leslie 
Stevens comedy. Although Gayle 
Stine has solo producer billing, 
Cook is personally soliciting back- 
ing for the presentation, due on 
Broadway early this year. Three- 
character one set play is being 
capitalized at $60,000 and is budget- 
ed to break even at about $12,000. 

"Complex” was originally tried 
out last summer at the Bucks 
County Playhouse, New Hope. Pa., 
under the joint sponsorship of 
Miss Stine and Alex Cohen, with a 
subsequent Broadway production 
planned. Move to the Main Stem 
was put off, with script undergoing 
a complete rewrite by Stevens. 


B’way in Rash of Pronto Payoffs; 

3 New Shows in Black, 4 More Due 


Swann Shutters 
Balto Stock Co. 


Baltimore, Jan. 11. 

Don Swann Jr. will fold his win- 
ter stock operation at the Hilltop- 
Parkway Theatre next Sunday 
(16). Producer is calling it quits 
midway during his second season 
because of declining grosses. 

Receipts have fallen below the 
initial season’s moderate totals and 
were consistently under the break- 
even mark. Windup production is 
j “The Feminine Touch,” a new mu- 
| sical by G. Wood and Ken Welch, 
'currently in its second w'eek. 

! Swann leased the former Loew’s 
i film house from Morris Mechanic, 
i owner of the Ford’s Theatre here. 
Property will presumably be placed 
on sale as it was before Swann 
leased it. Producer’s strawhat op- 
eration at Lutherville. Md., the Hill- 
top Theatre, is slated to reopen 
May 23. 


WOOLF BOWS TO EQUITY; 
ON REGULAR CONTRACT 


Stanley Woolf has backed down 
on his threat to go non-Equity.. receive 


Wanna Start a Riot? 

When "Wonderful Town” 
opened in Chicago last spring, 
Claudia Cassidy not only gave 
Carol Channing a poi^onal 
rave review in the Tribune, 
but also follow^! up with a 
Sunday column of superlative 
personal praise. Several days 
later the star met an old 
friend, a Tribune executive, 
and asked his opinion on 
whether she should write the 
sheet's critic a note of ac- 
knowledgment. 

"I’m terribly grateful and 
I’d like to express my thanks,” 
Miss Channing explained; 
"what’s the precedent?” 

Knowing Miss Cassidy’s 
reputation as a tough critic as 
well as any actor does, the 
Trib exec laughed, "There is 
no precedent. It’s never hap- 
pened before.” 


‘Go Home!’ Sez Boston 
Catholic Editorial On 
‘Naughty’ Twofer Shows 

.'. Boston, Jan. 11. 

"Go Home!” was the heading 
over an editorial last week in The 
Pilot, local Catholic weekly. raj>- 
ping the current season trend of 
plugging “so-called naughty” legit 
shows with ads more suggestive 
than in actuality. 

Although the piece mentioned no 
names, it was apparently inspired 
chieily by the bally hooing of 
"Models in Season,” which played 
a brief engagement at the Majestic 
Theatre, after the usual lurid ad 
and poster campaign and distribu- 
tion of a flood of two-for-one 
ducats. 

Lambasting the practice of send- 
ing twofer coupons and circulars' 
to local schools, the editorial 
stated, "What is shocking is to dis- 
cover that many local highschools 
this literature with all its 


Danzinger Bros., Biddle, 
Sampson & Fields Plan 
B’way-London Producing 

An international organization 
has been formed for the produc- 
tion of plays on Broadway and in 
London. Outfit, which will head- 
quarter in New York, was estab- 
lished recently by Edward J. and 
Harry Lee Danzinger, Nicholas 
Duke Biddle. Frank Sampson and 
William Fields. 

The Danzinger brothers and 
Biddle are partnered ih a film-tv 
Production firm in London, while 
Sampson is a onetime legit man- 
ner, b.o. treasurer and leader of 
Tammany Hall, and Fields is 
pressagent for the Playwrights 
[,!’• Besides being partnered, 
fields will also handle publicity 
tor the operation. 

Harry Danzinger and Biddle 
have conferred with Roger L. 
Stevens of the Playwrights regard- 
ing the London presentation of that 
tompany’s various productions, of 
^huh "Tea and Sympathy” and 
Rad Seed” are current. Danzing- 
f. 1, vv ' 10 bad been in New York for 
Christmas-New Year’s holiday 
, ™*d ^ack *° London, Jan. 4. 
" Vork he also huddled with 
a,( ‘ t onnelly regarding a London 

’.induction a new Pl fl y by the 

,( t. Sampson follows Danzinger 
° London via boat tomorrow 

1 tnurs.). 


CONNIE BENNETT OPENS 
SEASON AT PALM BEACH 

Palm Beach. Jan. 11. 

The Palm Beach (Fla.) Play- 
house will open Jan. 31 for its 
fourth season, with Constance Ben- 
nett and Tod Andrews in "Sabrina 
Fair” as the initial production. 
Billie Burke in Irving Phillips’ new 
comedy, "Mother Was a Bachelor,” 
will be the second bill. 

Other * productions scheduled 
during the 10-week season include 
Jan Sterling in "Saint Joan,” 
Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn 
in “Fourposter” and Brian Don- 
levy in “A Slight Case of Mur- 
der.” Paul Crabtree, produeing- 
director of the Playhouse, hopes to 
try out at least one other new play 
during the Palm Beach season. 

Messmore Kendall, Jeremiah D. 
Maguire and Mary Howes are the 
directors of the operation. Staff 
members for the season include 
Ralph Lycett. publicity and sub- 
scription; William Dempsey, busi- 
ness manager; David Fulford. as- 
sistant director; 
sleeve, production 
Bcrtelsen. scenic 
raine Hansberry 
Kroetch, boxoffice 

The Playhouse 


Unable to get concessions from the 
union, the producer is sending out 
his touring companies under a 
regular production contract. 

Equity had withdrawn conces- 
sions granted the road producer 
last November after studying op- 
erational figures submitted by him. 
At tfiat time Woolf said he would 
send out non-Equity companies be- 
cause of the union ruling. 

Under his present contract, the 
only concession given the pro- 
ducer is for stage managers to 
double in small roles. Previously 


suggestive references as if young 
people of highschool age are or 
should be interested in this sort 
of trash. We know of several 
parochial schools whose religious 
superiors have received such ad- 


the suggestion 
the material to 


Woolf had been 
a $90 minimum 
of the regular 
Stage managers 


permitted to pay 
to actors instead 
$120 road scale, 
employed at the 
regular $175 minimum were per- 
mitted to double as performers, 
and no understudies were re- 
quired. 

Woolf, whose troupes travel un- 
der the billing of the Civic Drama 
Guild, currently has two produc- 
tions playing non-UBO routes. 
They arc "Fourposter” and "Vaga- 
bond King.” Anne Martin and 
Robert Van Hooten are in the for- 
mer presentation. Besides touring 
shows, producer also plays sum- 
mer resorts with a number of units. 


vertisements with 
that they pass on 
their charges. 

"It is hard to imagine a situa- 
tion more insulting and in its own 
way callous. With all the talk 
about juvenile delinquency, it 
might be time to read a lesson to 
these promoters and do all that we 
can to make their visits in our city 
a financial flop.” 

"Models in Season,” after being 
severely panned by the critics, 
folded here Jan. 1. abruptly end- 
ing its scheduled tour. Last fall. 
"Getting Gertie’s Garter” played 
the Majestic on twofer and a come- 
on ad basis, and several other 
similar shows had local runs in 
recent seasons. 


By JESSE GROSS 

It’s a big season for quick Broad- 
way payoffs. To date, three shows 
have moved into the black in rec- 
ord time, while another lour are 
also headed for rapid returns. 
Former category includes "Tender 
Trap.” "Rainmaker.” and "Boy 
Friend,” while latter quartet com- 
prises "Fanny,” “Quadrille," "Bad 
Seed” and "Mrs. Patterson.” 

Capitalization on these produc- 
tions ranges from $75,000 to $275,- 

000. Top-budgeted entry is "Fan- 
ny,” starring Ezio Pinza and Walter 
Slezak. Produced by David Mer- 
rick & Joshua Logan, the musical 
lias been playing to the standee 
limit since its Nov. 4 opening at 
the Majestic Theatre and is cur- 
rently sold out until next June. 

According to a Nov. 27 account- 
ing, "Fanny” needed $254,203 to 
recoup. Operating at a phenomenal 
weekly profit of nearly $20,000, the 
Marcel Pagnol-S. N. Behrman- 
Logan-Harold Rome show' should 
hit paydirt during its 17th week, 
ending Feb. 17. Backers have al- 
ready received a 20% return on 
their investment. 

"Quadrille,” as of a Dee. 18 ac- 
counting, had $20,544 to recoup on 
a ' 75,000 investment. Up until the 
week ending Dec. 25. the Noel 
Coward comedy, starring Alfred 

1. u..„, j_.ynn Fontanne, Edna Best 
and Brian Aherne, had been doing 
capacity biz for a weekly profit of 
around $4,500-55,000. 

If receipts remain healthy, pro- 
duction may pay off at the end of 
this week or next, its 11th and 
12th, respectively, at the Coronet 
Theatre. One-third of the John C. 
Wilson-H. M. Tennent production's 
$75,000 stake has already been re- 
turned to the backers. 

“Seed,” currently in its sixth 
week at the 46th Street Theatre, 
may pay off during its 10th week, 
ending Feb. 12. Playwrights Co. 
production, starring Nancy Kelly, 
has already returned 20% to in- 
• Continued on page 71) 


is an even 500. A revolving stage 
was installed last season, and this 
year a new- ventilating system has 
been added. Performances are 
Monday through Saturday eve- 
nings, wdth Wednesday and Satur- 
day matinees. 

A subscription Campaign gets 
underway Jan. 17 under the direc- 
tion of Lycett. Socialite George 
Vigouroux Jr., has been appointed 
general sub'eription chairman of a 
200-member committee. 


Felds’ 3-Year Renewal 
For D.C. Amphitheatre 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Feld Bros., who operated the 
Carter Barron Amphitheatre for a 
successful 12-week summer season 
in 1954, have signed a contract 
with the National Capital Parks to 
James Gilder- | run the fresh air theatre for three 
manager; Paul j more years. They reportedly have 
ialso signed with the theatrical 
labor unions for the same period 
! of time. 

Opened originally to present a 
historic pageant, "Faith of Our 


designer; Lor- 
and Dorothy 
treasurers, 
seating capacity 


Fathers” in connection with the 
150th anniversary of D. C., the am- 
phitheatre was operated in 1953 by 
Constance Bennett, who offered a 
summer of top musical revivals. 
The Felds got it last year and of- 
fered a variety of amusements, 
j ranging from symphony concerts 
and Gilbert and Sullivan to the 
Jose Greco dancers, the musical 
comedy "Golden Apple” and an ice 
1 show’. 


ACTORS STILL ACTORS, 
EVEN THO AT LIBERTY 

A precedent-making decision by 
the N. Y. State Unemployment In- 
surance Appeal Board permits 
actors to refuse non-acting jobs 
without becoming Ineligible for 
unemployment insurance benefits. 

Case that prompted the Appeal 
Board decision pertained to John 
Martone, a professional actor, who 
lost his unemployment insurance 
benefits after refusing a job as a 
typist, a position he had previously 
held for 32 weeks. Herman E. 
Cooper, Actors Equity attorney, in 
a hewing before the Appeal Board, 
argued that to disqualify the actor 
for unemployment benefits would 
seriously discourage actors from 
remaining in the theatre and 
would also penalize performers 
with other occupational skills and 
favor those with no such abilities. 

The Appeal Board decided in 
favor of the actor, citing that one 
of the purposes of the Unemploy- 
ment Insurance Law is to protect 
acquired skills and preserve occu- 
pational prestige. The Industrial 
! Commissioner has not yet decided 
i whether to appeal the ruling or 
accept the decision as the’ detinite 
interpretation of the Uneinploy- 
1 ment Insurance Law of N. Y. 


Zetterling’s ‘Samarkand’ 
Contract Claim Going 
To Equity Arbitration 

Claiming she was dropped from 
"Tonight in Samarkand” despite 
a run-of-the-play contract, Mai 
Zetterling has taken her case to 
Actors Equity, and the issue will 
probably go to arbitration. The 
Swedish-born London film-legit ac- 
tress’ contract reportedly called 
for script approval, and when 
changes were made without her 
okay she exited the show. 

Equity intervened and, after dis- 
cussions with the actress and pro- 
ducers Bruce Becker and Robert 
Ellis Miller, It was agreed that Miss 
Zetterling should return to the 
cast, according to a union rep. 
However, the star wasn’t taken 
back, but the producers engaged 
Felicia Montealegre as replace- 
ment. 

Under Equity rules a performer 
with a run-of-the-play contract, 
when let out of a show, is entitled 
to financial compensation for the 
run of the production, until the 
official end of the season, May 31. 


Morehouse Shifting 
Beat to Colorado Spgs. 

Ward Morehouse, drama column- 
ist of the North American News- 
paper Alliance, moves to Colorado 
Springs end of next week as Sun- 
day review editor and columnist 
of the Colorado Springs Free Press. 
He’ll edit the Sunday amusement 
and art section and write a three- 
times-a-week column on the edi- 
torial page, also continuing his 
syndicated column for NANA. 

His wife, Rebecca Franklin, has 
resigned as contributing editor of 
Time mag to accompany him. and 
plans to do freelance writing in 
Colorado Springs. However, the 
couple intend to make frequent 
visits to New York and Morehouse 
will probably continue his exten- 
sive travels. 

Until several months ago. More- 
house was drama columnist for the 
N. Y. World-Telegram & Sun, 
shifting to that sheet when it pur- 
chased the old N. Y. Sun. for w hich 
he wrote a Broadway drama col* 
j limn for many years. „ 



68 


LEGITIMATE 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Chi Rediscovers Star s B.O. Draw 
As Name Shows Perk Local Season 


Bv FARRELL DAVISSON 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Importance of star names to 
touring plays is being underscored 
again here with three shows ap- 
parently settled down for comfort- 
able runs. Not since the 1951-52 
season have prospects been so 
good for simultaneous runs by 
three productions. 

By recent Chicago yardsticks, 
a tenancy beyond the 13-week 
mark ranks as major accomplish- 
ment. If. as apparently likely, the 
current trio holds intact into the 
summer slump, the 1954-55 Reason 
will go down as one of the most 
successful by boxofTice standards 
in the post-war years. 

Bellwether, of course, is “King 
and I” in its eighth week at the 
Shubert. where advance orders are 
said to total over $150,000. roughlj 
the same amount as the pre-open- 
ing sales. Also holding up is “Oh 
Men. Oh Women.” now in the sixth 
frame at the Harris with a run 
of some proportion seemingly as- 
sured. 

Less secure for the future, with 
only a minimum advance, is the 
Krlanger’s “Fifth Season,” current- 
ly in its ninth week. But organiza- 
tional and party bookings are help- 
ing it stay in the black. 

In each case, there are names of 
some boxofTice stature bearing 
star billings. Yul Brynner and 
Patricia Morison head “King.” 
with Chester Morris and Joseph 
BuloiT topping “Season.” and Ralph 
Bellamy with “Oh Men.” In this 
midwest center, with its conven- 
tioneer and tourist draw from the 
hinterlands, it's frequently the 
Star's name rather than the play 
itself that’s the saleable point of 
reference for the ticket buyers. 

In the case of Bellamy, and to a 
lesser extent, Chester Morris, the 
television influence is at work. 
Former's tv film series, “Man 
Against Crime,” is still playing 
throughout the midwest as a re- 
run entitled “Follow That Man." 
That, rather than the actor’s Hol- 
lywood background, is figured why 
boxofTice men at the Harris often 
get queries about “that Ralph 
Bellamy play.” 

While “King." with its Rogers & 
Hammerstein identity, is an estab- 
lished “name” itself, the boxoifTee 
value of Brynner's association is 
sufficiently strong to cause worry 
about the effects of a replacement 
w hen he bows out March 19 or 26 
for a film commitment. 


Operating Statements 

CAN-CAN 

(As of Nov. 27, ’54> 
Original capital (repaid) $300,000 

Gross,, last 4 weeks 190,100 

Profit, same period 40,418 

Total net profit to date . 580,849 

Distributed profit 474,547 

Cash reserve 25.000 

Bonds, deposits, etc 32,695 

Balance 48,607 

(Note: The Feuer & Martin pro- 
duction paid another $50,000 divi- 
dend last week, bringing the total 
distribution to $524,547, of which 
the backers’ share is $264,547. or 
88% profit thus far on their $300,- 
000 investment.) < 


SEVEN YEAR ITCH 

(As of Dec. 4, ’54) 

Original capital (repaid), $60,000 
Gross, last 5 weeks, B’way, $98.- 
514. 

Profit, same period, B’way, $14,- 
238. 

Gross, same period, tour. $91.- 
655. 

Profit, same period, tour, $3,747. 
Total net profit to date, $629,175. 
Di«tribuled last week. $17,740. 
Total distributed profit to date, 
$574,746. 

Cash balance available, $8 953. 


RAINMAKER 

(As of Dec. 18, ’54) 

Original investment, $75,000. 
Gross, last 3 weeks, $52,754. 
Operating profit, same period. 
$5,321. 

Unrecouped costs to date, $38,- 

655. 

Cash available, $24,468. 

Other assets. $11,877. 

(Note: The above excludes $38,- 
6(H) received by the production as 
its share of the initial $100,000 
payment on a $350,000 film sale 
to Hal Wallis and Joseph Hazen.) 


Attention Firemen 

Because the program of 
“Saint of Bleecker Street.” at 
the Broadway, N. Y., contains 
the plot of each scene, mem- 
be s of the audience frequently 
light matches during scene 
shifts to read the notes. Man- 
agement apparently hasn't 
alerted ushers to the dangers 
involved. 

Fire Department inspector, 
assigned to look out for just 
such violations, seemingly 
hasn’t noticed. 

i 

R&H Festival 
At St. Loo Muny 

St. Louis, Jan. 11. 

A six-week Rodgers and Ham- 
merstein festival, including four 
musical hits, will climax the 37th 
annual season on the Municipal 
Theatre in Forest Park next sum- 
mer. 

i The festival will open with a 
week’s presentation of a revised 
version of the R&H concert pro- 
gram comprising song hits from 
their shows. Then “Carousel.” 
“Allegro” and “The King and I” 
will each have a week’s run. with 
a two-week stand of “South Pa- 
cific” as the finale. “Carousel” 
was presented in the alfresco the- ' 
atre in 1950 and is the only one of J 
the four done outdoors here. 

The local edition of “King and 
I” will be the only one besides the 
current touring production starring 
Yul Brynner and Patricia Morison. 

‘Hearts’ Dropped $33,424 
. On $60,000 Investment 

“King of Hearts,” Elaine Perry’s 
production of last season, lost $33,- 
424. Return of $24,000 was made 
last week to the backers of the 
$60,000 venture, with $2,076 avail- 
able for future distribution. 

According to a Nov. 27 account- 
ing. the gross for the show’s last 
four weeks at the National Theatre, 
N.Y., was $54,793. Operating profit 
for the period was $2,774, plus $900 
stock royalties. Closing expenses 
totalled $2,257, leaving a net profit 
of $1,417 for the period covered. ! 
Amount of capital available at clos- 
ing was $26,576, less $500 undis- 
tributable British rights. 1 

The Jean Kerr-Eleanor Brooke 
comedy, which starred Donald Cook 1 
and Jackie Cooper, had a Broadway 1 
run of 35 weeks, originally bowing 
at the Lyceum Theatre and then 
moving to the National. A con- 
templated tour, slated to begin at 
the Selwyn Theatre, Chicago, un- 
der Theatre Guild subscription, 
was cancelled. 


Shtimlin Options ‘Ice* 

Herman Shumlin has optioned 
| for production next season a three- 
character comedy, “Love on Ice,” 
j by Alexander Greendale. 


Current London Shows 

London, Jan. 11. 

(Figures denote premiere dates! 

Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22 53). 

All For Mary, Duke York (9-9-54). 
Beatrice Lillie, Globe (11-24-54). 

Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5-54). 
Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21-34). 

I Both Ends Meet, Apollo (6-9-54). 

Boy Friend, Wyndham's (12-1-53). 
Can-Can, Coliseum (10-14-54). 

Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-16-54). 

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). 

Glass Clock, Aldw.vrh (1-3-55). 

Happy Holiday, Palace (12 22 54). 

Hedda Gabler, Westm’ster (11-29-54). 
Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). 
intimacy At 8 : 30 , Criterion (4 29-54). 
Joyce Grenfell, St. Wart. (6-2-54). 

King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53). 

Manor of Northstead, Duchess <4 28 54). 
Matchmaker, Haymarket J 11-4-54). 
Mousetrap, Ambas. (ll-2o-52>. 

Old Vic Rep, Old Vic (9 9 54). 

Party Spirit, Piccadilly (9-23-54). 
Relations Apart, Garrick. (8-3-54). 

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). 

Separate Tables, St. James's (9-22 54). 
Simon 8 , Laura, Strand (11-24 54). 
Spider's Web, Savoy (12-14-54). 

Talk of Town. Adelphi (11-17-54). 
Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her Maj. (4 22 34). 
i Wedding in Paris, Hipp. (4-3-54). 

Witness Prosecution, W. Gard. ‘10 28 53). 


SCHEDULED OPENINGS 
Sholom Aleichem, Embassy (1 11-53). 
Night of Betl, New Theatre (1-12 55). 
Rules of Game, Arts (1-13-55). 
Wren's Nest, Richmond (1-17-55). 
Richard II. Old Vic (1-18-35). 

Blame Adam, New Lind. <1-31 55V 

CLOSED LAST WEEK 
I Am a Camera, New (3-12-54). 

Pay the Piper, Saville (12-21-34). 
Sabrina Fair, Palaca (8-4 34). 


Brooks Buys Beaton’s 
Costumes from ‘Portrait* 

Costumes from “Portrait Of A 
Lady," designed by Cecil Beaton, 
have been purchased by the Brooks 
Costume Co., to be added to its 
rental stock. Other recent acqui- 
sitions of Broadway wardrobes by 
Brooks include “On Your Toes.” 
“By The Beautiful Sea.” “The Girl 
In Pink Tights” and “The Cru- 
cible.” 

The firm also bought the cos- 
tume collection of Edyth Lutyens. 

who recently retired from business. 

» 

Seidman Claims ‘Fanny’ 
Typical as Sweepstake; 
Lists ‘Cardinal’ Rules 

New' York. 

Editor, Variety: 

The David Merrick-J. S. Seid- 
man debate reported in last week’s 
issue as the outgrowth of my talk 
on theatre financing at the Harvard 
Businessmen's Luncheon Club was 
hardly a “debate”. As a guest, 
during the question and answer 
period. Merrick merely got up and 
said I was 75% wrong, and pointed 
to his experience as co-producer 
of “Fanny” in proof. 

I am not clear what “Fanny” is 
supposed to prove, since it is as 
“typical” as the winning of a 
sweepstake. “Fanny”, even as a 
hit. is hardly a prototype. It pays 
nothing for rent on boxoffice re- 
ceipts over $46,000, instead of the 
usual 30% of the entire gross. 
Furthermore, “Fanny” has the 
highest admission scale of any 
show on Broadway, so its weekly 
sellout gross of over $65,000 just 
hasn’t been heard of around these 
parts before. 

It is wonderful to have arithme- 
tic like “Fanny” around. It shows 
what “can” happen. But, I don’t 
think it inspires much confidence 
nor is it in the best interests of ’ 
the theatre to suppress the other I 
side of the ledger and try to make j 
it appear that the arithmetic of 
“Fanny” is standard. 

Merrick evidently felt I was un- 
duly bearish from the backer’s 
standpoint. I tried merely to be 
factual. All I did was to give in- 
dustry figures for the past few 
years as reported by Variety and I 
Business Week. If that be treason, 

I have stuck my wrists way out. 

Furthermore, I must have been 
very ineffective as a gospel of 
doom. Right after the talk three 
members of the audience of “solid 
businessmen” separately came up 
to me find out how they could go 
about putting money yjto shows. 

The audience knew from the ad- 
vance meeting notice plus the 
chairman’s introduction that my 
personal boxscore on play backing 
was far better than average. The 
whole burden of my talk was that 
the odds can be improved by selec- j 
tivity. I emphasized what I felt 
were three 'concurrent cardinal re- 
quirements, namely, a good play, 
production and operating costs 
that make possible a profit, and' 
high caliber of management. 

The Variety report makes it ap- 
pear that the reasonableness of 
the 50-50 profit split between pro- 
ducer and backer got into the dis- 
cussion. 1 am puzzled by that be- 
cause the subject was never men- 
tioned by me at all. 

All told, I think it was a splen- 
did thing that Merrick was present 
and could give his point of view, 
and I said so to the audience. I 
had referred to the highly satis- 
factory financial results of “Okla- 
homa", the addition of “Fanny” to 
the list, even if still a bit antici- 
patory. certainly could do no harm. 

On the other hand, I wonder 
whether using “Fanny” as a 
basis for branding as “75% w rong” | 
published industry figures is a j 
good w ay to make sustained finan- j 
eial friends for the theatre. I am 1 
sure that if Merrick had the time 
and the forum he would have cor- i 
reeled this otherwise incomplete j 
picture. J. S, Seidman, 


Tough Ail Over 

Apparently J. J. Shubert’s 
real objective was temperance, 
not cleanliness, when he re- 
cently issued an order forbid- 
ding food and drinks backstage 
at Shubert theatres. 

That, at least, is the sugges- 
tion of the drama critic of one 
of the New York dailies, who 
reveals that this Christmas, 
for the first time in many 
years, the Shuberts failed to 
send gift booze to the various 
first-stringers. 


Why Reviews Are Written 

The growing tendency, if It Is a growing tendency, of legiti- 
ate producers to invite newspapers to skip opening nights, and 
come again some other night, is not a development to which 
this journal, for one, is inclined to lend encouragement. Let the 
N.Y. Times, and other papers speak for themselves. (But par- 
enthetically, Broadway grapevine hears that the Times had it 
with Billy Rose’s stratagem last season on “The Immoralist” and 
will refrain, by request, no more.) 


There Is one main point for any newspaper which likes to be 
firstest with the mostest: Reviews constitute a service to readers 
and only incidentally to producers. Readers hearing that a show 
has opened its doors and is selling pasteboard to the general 
public expect a critique. 


In the instance of out-of-town breakins, reviewers invariably 
take the crude state of the property into account and make al- 
lowances. This is surely true with Variety, although nervous 
and anxious producers seldom acknowledge this consideration 
and instead fancy up in their own minds private theories that 
this or that local reviewer Is peculiarly “tough.” 


That producers are concerned is natural enough. It may also 
be conceded that two opening nights, one on the road and one 
on Broadway, are ulcer-making hazards of a chancy profession. 
But that’s the way it is. 


Where the producers let their fears take on a neurotic tinge 
is in imagining that a critic’s notice is what makes a bad play 
bad. We suggest that the manuscript is usually the true reason 
—that and the production. Not what some reviewer says about 
the production. 


There is something a bit ironic in complaining about review- 
ers at out-of-town breakins because in sober truth the “tough- 
est” reviewer is seldom as harsh as the resentful natives of the 
towns who pay full boxofTice scale to see performances not ready 
to be seen. Land. 


Legit Bits 


Peter Brook, British stager, and 
his actress wife Natasha Parry left 
New York last Friday (7) for a 
10-day vacation in Jamaica, B.W.I. 
as the house guests of John Giel- 
gud . “Peter Pan,” starring Mary 
Martin, originally skedded for a 
16-week run at the Winter Garden 
Theatre, N.Y., has been extended 
three weeks through Feb. 26 . . 
Monte Proser s contract as man- 
ager and operator of the Bucks 
County Playhouse Inn, New Hope, 
Pa., has been terminated. 

The Australian rights to “Anni- 
versary Waltz” have been bought 
by Garnet H. Carroll, and the com- 
edy is slated for presentation this 
winter at the Princess Theatre, 
Melbourne . . . Phoenix Theatre. 
N. Y., is inaugurating a policy of 
special Monday night programs of 
“off-beat” events to be presented 
alternate Mondays during January, ! 
February and March, beginning i 
Jan. 24 with dance-mime Agna 
Enters. 

Ilona Massey’s manager, Curtis 
Roberts, plans to produce "The i 
Journey” on Broadway, with the , 
actress starring . . Robert Smith , 
has switched from acting to agent- ■ 
ing, having joined the Gus Schir- 1 
mer talent office. 

William Ross and Perry Bruskin, 
stage managers for “Grand Prize,” 
have scheduled “Fair-Haired Boy,” 
musical with book by Ira Wallach, 
lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and mu- 
sic by David Baker, for Broadway 
production next fall... Stage man- 1 
ager Robert Dowing will direct the 
touring version of “The Tender 
Trap,” being sent out by Arthur 
Waxman, Jay Lurie and pressagent 
Bernard Simon . Arch Obler, ra- 
dio-film scripter - producer, an- 
nounces plans for his Broadway 
bow next spring as producer-di- 
rector of “Eagle's Nest,” by Paul 
Michael ..Staff for “The Way- 
ward Saint.” skedded to open Feb. 
17 on Broadway, includes Richard 
E. French, general manager; Fan- 
nie Comstock, assistant; Charles 
Durand and Murray Queen, stage 
managers, and Marian Byram, 
Phyllis Perlman and David Powers 
as pressagents. 

Pat Fowler has been elevated to 
stage manager of the Broadway 
company of “Seven Year Itch.” 
with William Letters and Jane Du 
Frayne as assistants. Miss Du 
Frayne is also playing the Voice of 
the Girl's conscience . . . Gant 
Gaither has added a third properly 
to his production slate, which al- 
ready includes a musicalization of 
“Seventh Heaven” and Jack Kirk- 
land’s dramatization of Nelson Al- 
gren’s “The Man With the Golden 
Arm.” Newest acquisition is Cecil 
Beaton’s novel, “My Royal Past,” 
which Gaither plans to do as a mu- 
sical, with Anita Loos adapting the 
book. Composer and lyricist 
haven’t been set y£t. • 

Eli Wallach, starring as Sakini ! 
in the London production of “Tea- 
house of the August Moon.” exits 
that role the end of this week to 
return to New York where he’ll 


succeed John Forsythe as Capt. 
Fishy in the Broadway production 
of the comedy. Forsythe exits the 
show to fill a film commitment. 
Wallach is slated to switch to the 
Sakini role when David Wayne re- 
linquishes that assignment. **Wal- 
lach, incidentally, is being suc- 
ceeded in London by Dickie Hen- 
derson. 

John McShay’s “All in the 
Clouds” scheduled for production 
next spring by Pat Allen. 

Producer-director Mary Hunter 
has joined the Theatre Guild as 
associate producer and assistant to 
co-director Theresa Helburn . Al- 
fred Harding, of the Actors Equity 
staff, has his arm in a sling follow- 
ing a fall, complicated by bursitis 
...For simpler Gringo pronuncia- 
tion, Felicia Montealegre has 
changed the spelling to Montale- 
gre. Chilean-bom actress, the wife 
of composer - conductor Leonard 
Bernstein, is top-featured in “To- 
night in Samarkand.” 

Former musical comedy singer 
Betsy Holland, a production assist- 
ant in the Gilbert Miller office, 
has written the lyrics of a song, 
"Another Day,” with tune by Mark 
Burci, just published by Chappell 
. . Eleanor D. Wilson has a fea- 
tured role in Paul Vincent Car- 
roll's “The Wayward Saint”.. 
Allan C. Dalzell has shifted from 
advance pressagent for “Sailor’s 
Delight” to go out ahead of Tal- 
lulah Bankhead on the “Dear 
Charles” tour. 

Ernest Rawley, manager of the 
Royal Alexandra, Toronto, returns 
to Canada this week after a New 
York visit setting up bookings for 
the tour next fall of the D’Oyly 
Carte Opera Co. . . . Kent Smith 
out of the Lenox Hill hospital, 
N. Y., after a minor illness and 
joined the cast of the upcoming 
touring production of “Tender 
Trap” . . . Early Maxwell, Memphis 
legit booker, due in New York 
later this month to line up shows 
for Memphis, Little Rock and 
other cities in his territory . . . 
Composer Lamar Stringfield due 
in New York next Monday (17) 
from his Charleston. S. C., home 
with a revised script and score 
of his musicomedy, “Carolina 
Charcoal” . . . Joe Shea this week 
started special out-of-town promo- 
tion for “Silk Stockings.” 


Scheduled N. Y. Openings 

( Theatre indicated if set) 

Festival, Longacre (1-18). 

Time of Life, City Center (1-19). 

Grand Prize, Plymouth (1-26). 

Plain A Fancy, Dellinger (1-27). 

Tonight In Samarkand, Morocco <wk 
1 30.) 

Wisteria Trees, City Center (2-2>. 

Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-3). 

Dark Is Light Enough, ANTA (2 9V 
Desperate Hours, Barrymore (2-10). 
Wayward Saint (2-17). 

Bus Stop (uK 2 21). 

Three For Tonight, Plymouth (wk 3 20). 
Ankles Aweigh, Dellinger (4 14). 

Light Opera Season, City Center (4 20). 
Damn Yankees, 46th St. (5-3V 


OFF-BWAY 

Passion of Cross, dc Lys (1 20'. 
Thieves' Carnival, Cherry Lane (2 1). 
Three Sisters, 4th St. (2-10). 



WfdnewUy, January 12, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 69 


Chi in Seasonal Dip; ‘King’ $45 JO, 

Oh Men’ OK $19,600, ‘Season’ $14,700 

% 


Chicago, Jan. 11. 

T oop biz dipped last week from 
(he highs scored the Previous 
name which included the New 

Year’s weekend. ....... 

Upcoming entries include Ruth 
Draper at the Selwyn, Jan. 31 for 
two weeks; ‘ South Pacific,” Opera 
House. March 6. three weeks, and 
• Tea And Sympathy,” Blackstone, 
March 7, for run, on Theatre 
(Juild subscription. Exiting next 
Saturday (15) is “Pajama Tops,” 
which resumes its tour. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Fifth Season, Erlanger (8th wk) 
i$4 1 300) (Chester Morris, Joseph 
Uuioff*. Nearly $14,700 (previous 
week. $18,600). 

King and I, Shubert (7th wk) 
($5 2.100) <Yul Brynner, Patricia 
Morison). Over $45,200 (previous 
week, nearly $54,700). 

Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris (5th 
wk> ($5; 1.000) (Ralph Bellamy). 
Edged $19,600 (previous week, 
$24,500). 

Pajama Tops,' Blackstone <6th 
wk) <$4.40; 1,385). (Diana Barry- 
more). Over $10,000 (previous 
week. $13,400), resumes tour Satur- 
day (15). 

Teahouse’ $79,000 
On 2 Hot Weeks 


Kansas City, Jan. 11. 

4 Teahouse of the August Moon” 
drew rave notices and a great $37,- 
500 gross last week at the KMBC 
Playhouse here. Evening top was 
$3.92 with a matinee limit of $3.36. 

Burgess Meredith and Scott Mc- 
Kay head the touring troupe. 


$41,527 Record St. Loo 

St. Louis, Jan. 11. 

New record for a dramatic show, 
$41,527. was hung up on thar sec- 
ond week, ended Jan. 1, of “Tea- 
house of the August Moon” at the 
American. House is currently 
dark. 

“Picnic,” starring Sonny Tufts, 
drew a poor $8,500 last week at 
the Empress. Stock offering copped 
nice reviews. Christine Jorgensen 
heads the cast of “To Dorothy, A 
Son,” that opened a one-w’eek 
frame last night (Mon.). It will be 
followed by "I Am A Camera,” 
also for one week. 


BRACKEN-'ITCH’ $20,000, 
HOLDOVER WEEK, PITT 

Pittsburgh, Jan. 11. 
Eddie Bracken grossed over 
$43,200 for a fortnight stay ending 
last Saturday (8) at the Nixon in 
Seven Year Itch.” He drew $23,- 
200 for the holiday stanza and 
$20,000 on the holdover. 


Katharine Cornell and Tyrone 
Power in “Dark Is Light Enough” 
opened last night (Mon.) to an ad- 
vance sale of nearly $22,000, with 
indications that week’s gross will 
fop $30,000. Next week, Manny 
Davis’ touring production of “Guys 
and Dolls” comes in for the last 
naif of the w'eek. 


‘Ginger’ Modest $11,500, 
Final Week in Frisco 

San Francisco, Jan. 11. 

Eor it’s final week here, “Time 
(Hit for Ginger” dropped to a so-so 
$11,500 after a whopping post- 
thristmas week of $21,700. 

Future bookings include Jan. 20, 
Moon is Blue.” Curran; Feb. 21, 
Teahouse of the August Moon,” 
( urran, indefinite run, subscrip- 
tion. 

F.stimates for Last Week 

tor Ginger. Curran 
<S3 85; 1.758) (Melvyn Douglas). 

iHppcd to $11,500 (previous week. 


‘Samarkand’ $9,000 for 3 
On Princeton Breakii 

Princeton, Jan. 11. 

. ‘lonight in Samarkand,” star 
nn R Louis Jourdan, played to ca 
parity the last two of its thre 
Performances at the McCarte 
, ,lea tre here last Thursday-Satur 
’P' 8 !* Show » Playing at a $3.8 
i°P. took in almost $9,000 at th 
„ ’''-seat house. Saturday mat! 
n< e was cancelled due to the ill 
*‘\ s °/ F^icia Montalegre, bu 
nderstudy Margaret Feury playei 
tlu ‘ evening show. 

7 ryout is current at the Colonia 
Theatre, Boston. 


♦ — 

‘Pacific’ Healthy $31,700 
For Opener in Balto 

Baltimore, Jan. 11. 
First Baltimore visit of “South 
Pacific” drew a fair $31,700 at 
Ford’s last week. Current second 
stanza looks like it will easily out- 
distance the opener. Rodgers-Ham- 
merstein musical concluded an ex- 
tended run in Philly the previous 
week with $33,000. 

January continues to be solidly 
booked at Ford’s, with “Dark Is 
Light Enough” set for Jan. 17 and 
"Tonight In Samarkand” follow- 
ing Jan. 24. 

‘Deborah’ $31,600 
Plain’ 30G, Phila 


Philadelphia. Jan. 11. 

Active stage season has carried 
over into 1955, with tw’o newcom- 
ers arriving this week to join last 
week’s boff entries, "Tea and 
Sympathy” at the Forrest, and 
“Plain and Fancy,” musical click 
at the Shubert. 

"Southwest Corner.” new’ John 
Cecil Holm play, opened last night 
(Mon.) at the Walnut. "The Des- 
perate Hours” relights the Locust 
tomorrow night (Wed.). 

Estimates for Last Week 

Tea and Sympathy, Forrest <D) 
(1st wk) ($4.80; 1,760) (Deborah 
Kerr). Robert Anderson drama 
drew rave notices, with Guild- 
American Theatre Society sub- 
scription also a factor; smash $31,- 
600. 

Grand Prize, Locust (C) (2d wk) 
($4.20; 1,580) (June Lockhart). 

Neither press nor public did hand- 
springs for this one; $13,600. 

Plain and Fancy, Shubert (M) 
(1st wk) ($4.80; 1,870). Musical 
winning uniform kudos; terrific 
$30,000 for six performances. 


‘GUEST’ HEALTHY $3,800, 
‘FINIAN’S’ $1,300, LA. 


Hollywood, Jan. 11. 

Legit, although slow, was in the 
black last week, despite the tra- 
ditional post-New Year slump. 
Three shows are current, two for 
expected runs. The third, “Once 
Upon A Tailor,” plays through 
Jan. 23. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Be My Guest, Civic Playhouse 
(3d wk.) ($3; 400) (Leo Fuchs). 
Good $3,800. 

Finian’s Rainbow, Hollywood 
Repertory, <2cf wk.) ($3.30; 276). 
Just over operating expenses at 
$1,300. 

Once Upon a Tailor, Las Palmas, 
two days ($3.60: 390), okay $1*400. 


Comeli-Power $33,800 
For ‘Dark’ Split-Week 

Columbus. O.. Jan. 11. 

“Dark is Light Enough,” starring 
Katharine Cornell and Tyrone 
Power, took in a smash $33,800 
in eight performances split last 
week. Christopher Fry play nabbed 
around $16,800 Monday-Wednesday 
(3-5) at the Auditorium, Louisville, 
and about $17,000 Thursday-Satur- 
day (6-8) at the Hartman here. 

Previous week’s take at the Taft 
Theatre, Cincinnati, ending Jan. 1, 
was nearly $30,900. 

Gabor-‘Sailor’ 13G, Mpls.; 
Will Fold This Week 

Minneapolis, Jan. 11. 

Eva Gabor, her supporting cast 
and the production won praise, but 
the play itself encountered a luke- 
warm reception, and “Sailor’s De- 
light” garnered only $13,000 last 
week at $3.85 top at the 1.860-seat 
Lyceum. 

Producers Richard Aldrich and 
Richard Myers flew in from New 
York and decided to fold the show, 
temporarily at least, following the 
this week's Milwaukee stand. 


Current Stock Bills 


(Jan. 10 23) 

•orn Yesterday — Music Hall, Houston 
(11-13). 

Feminine Touch (tryout), by G. Wood & 
Ken Welch — Hilltop — Parkway, Balto 
(10-16). 

Inherit the Wind (tryout), by Jerome 
Lawrence & Robert E. Lee — Theatre ’55, 
Delia* (10-22). 

Oh Men, Oh Women — Sombrero Play- 
house, Phoenix (17-22). 

Time Out for ©In# — Paper Mill Play- 
house, MUlburn. N. J. (10-15). 


‘Gertie’ Hungry $5,400, 
Channing Current, -Det. 

Detroit, Jan. 11. 

“Getting Gertie's Garter” gar- 
, nered a lean $5,400 at the 2,050- 
' seat Shubert last week in the 
; finale of a fortnight’s stay. Top 
| was $3.60. but with twofers. Cur- 
' rent is “Wonderful Town,” star- 
ring Carol Channing, in for two 
weeks. Top is $4.40. 

The 1.482-seat Cass still is dark 
, with no prospects for relighting in 
sight. 

‘$¥$44,600 (7), 
‘Festival’ $9,000, 

Corner’ 11G, Hub 

\ 

Boston, Jan. 11. 

Although four of Hub’s legits 
were alight last week, the big noise 
was “Silk Stockings,” which opened 
a four-week stand at the Shubert 
j last Tuesday (4). The other new- 
comer, “Put Them All Together,” 
at the Plymouth, failed to impress 
and wound its first week in the 
low bracket. “The Southwest Cor- 
ner.” starring Eva LaGalliene. 
finaled its two-weeker at the Wil- 
bur with practically the same gross 
as the initial . stanza. “Festival” 
dipped in its second frame at the 
Colonial. 

New’ arrivals last night (Mon.) 
were “Grand Prize” at the Wilbur, 
and “Tonight in Samarkand” at 
the Colonial, each for two weeks. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Festival, Colonial (2d wk) ,$3.85; 
1,590) (Paul Henreid, Betty Field). 
Final slumped to $9,000; moved on 
to Broadway. 

Put Them All Together, Ply- 
mouth (1st wk) ($3.85; 1.200) (Fay 
Bainter). Reaction w’as tepid, with 
first week nabbing about $6,500; 
final week is current. 

Silk Stockings, Shubert ( 1st wk) 
($6.25-$4.95; 1.700) (Don Almeche, 
Hildegard Neff). Mixed reaction to 
this one. but drew a nifty $44,600 
for seven performances; engage- 
ment has been extended to Jan. 29. 

Southwest Corner, Wilbur (2d 
wk) <$3.85; 1,200) (Eva LaGalliene). 
Final week near $11,000; exited 
town to continue pre-Broadway 
tuneup. 


TIDINGS’ TEPID $6,800; 
WASH. DARK THIS WEEK 

Washington, Jan. 11. 

Second and final week of "G15d 
Tidings” at the Shubert Theatre 
grassed a mild $6,800, following a 
S5.900 initial stanza. House is dark 
this week, but relights next Mon- 
day (17) with a single week of the 
Ruth and Paul Draper. 

National Theatre, dark last 
week, reopens Jan. 24 with a fort- 
night run of the new Christopher 
Fry opus, “The Dark Is Light 
Enough,” costarring Katharine 
Cornell and Tyrone Power. 

“Wonderful Town,” starring 
Carroll Channing, w'ound up a 
three-week run at the National on 
New Year’s Day with a sock $103.- 
000 in the till. Final stanza pulled 
$41,200. highest single week to 
date for the tour. 

‘Hours’ Smash 17G (4) 

For New Haven Opener 

New Haven, Jan. 11. 

After opening to a moderate ad- 
vance. preem of "Desperate Hours” 
i at the Shubert last Thursday-Sat- 
urday ( 6-8) built to SRO via ter- 
rific word-of-mouth. Playing four 
performances at $4.50 top, gross 
hit just under $17,000. 

House is dark this week. Next 
week brings “South Pacific” for a 
full stanza. National company of 
“Pajama Game” stages final re- 
hearsals here the week of Jan. 24 
and opens a nine-performance run 
Jan. 29 through Feb. 5. 


Channing $32,200, Cleve, 
After Sock D.C. Finale 

Cleveland. Jan. 11. 

“Wonderful Town,” starring 
Carol Channing, pulled a nice $33,- 
200 in a regular eight perform- 
ances at $4.95 top last week at the 
Hanna Theatre here. Tuner beat 
the post-New Year rap by getting 
four sellouts during the latter half 
of the week. It notched $41,100 
the previous stanza as t«hc windup 
of a three-week Washington stand. 

House is currently dark, but 
Blackstone the Magician is in next 
Monday (17) for a week. 


B’way in Post-New Y ear Slump; 
‘Flowers’ 44G, ‘Anastasia’ $16,000, 
Peach’ 17y 2 G, ‘Fourposter’ $23,700 


Traditional post - New Year’s I 
slump hit Broadway last week. 
Biz the previous stanza took l lie 
unusual end-of-the-year surge, with 
several shows establishing new 
b.o. records at upped New Year’s 
Eve prices. Approximately eight 
shows were affected by last week's 
I slump, while six entries went 
j clean. 

Estimates for Last Week 

Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), 
CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), 
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD ( Musi- 
cal-Drama ), O (Opera), OP (Op 
retta >. 

Other parenthetic designations 
refer, respectively, to weeks played, 
number of performances through 
last Saturday, top prices, number 
of seats, capacity gross and stars. 
Price includes 10 r o Federal and 
5 c o City tax, but grosses are net: 
i.e., exclusive of tax'. 

Anastasia, Lyceum <D) (2d wk; 
.13; $5.75 -$4.60; 995; $23,389) 

| (Viveca Lindfors, Eugenie Leon- 
tovich). Just under $16,000 (previ- 
ous week, over $12,900 for first 
five performances, with $6.90 top 
New Year’s Eve); opened Dec. 29 
j to three .favorable reviews (Atkin- 
son, Times; Chapman, News; llaw- 
! kins, World-Telegram) and four 
negative notices (Coleman, Mir- 
ror; Kerr, Herald Tribune; Mc- 
Clain, Journal - American; Watts. 
Post); financed at $90,000, cost 
about $56,000 to bring in. includ- 
ing approximately $11,000 tryout 
loss, but excluding bonds, and can 
break even at around $16,000 gross. 

Anniversary Waltz, Booth <C) 
(40th W’k; 315; $4.60; 766; $20,000) 
(Macdonald Carey, Kitty Carlisle). 
Almost $13,400 (previous week, 
nearly $21,700, with $8.05 top New 
Year’s Eve). 

Bad Seed, 46th St. (D) (5th wk; 
37; $5.75-$4.60; 1,319; $37,000) 

(Nancy Kelly). Over $27,700 (pre- 
vious week, almost $35,300, with 
$6.90 top >{ew Year’s Eve). 

Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (15th 
wk; 116; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Had 
a clean statement at $38,300 (pre- 
vious week; record for theatre at 
$41,276, with $12.00 top New' Year’s 
Eve). 

Caine Mutiny Court Martial, 

Plymouth (D) (51st wk; 404; $5.75- 
$4.60; $33,331) (Lloyd Nolan. John 
liodiak, Barry Sullivan). Almost 
$20,900 (previous week, nearly 
$27,900. with $6.90 top New. Year’s 
Eve); closes next Saturday (15) to 
tour. 

Can-Can, Shubert (MC) <88th 
wk; 700; $6.90; 1.361; $50,160). 

Nearly $36,800 (previous week, 
almost $54,000, with $12.00 top 
New Year’s Eve). 

Dear Charles, Morosco <C) (17th 
wk; 133; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; $29,850) 
'Tallulah Bankhead). Nearly $13,- 
100 (previous week, almost $21,000, 
with $11.50 top New Year’s Eve). 
Closes Jan. 29, to tour. 

Fanny, Majestic (MD) (10th wk; 
76; $7.50? 1.510; $65,300) (Ezio 
| Pinza, Walter Slezak). Over ca- 
pacity again, almost $65,900 (pre- 
! vious week, record for regular 
! Broadway show at $70,282, with 
$12.00 top New Year’s Eve). 

Flowering Peach, Bclasco <D) 
(2d wk; 15; $5.75-$4.60; 1.077; $28.- 
300) (Menasha Skulnik). Nearly 
$17,500 (previous w'eek, almost 
$24,000 for first seven perform- 
ances and one preview, with $6.90 
top New Year’s Eve). Opened Dec. 
28 to two favorable reviews (Atkin- 
son. Times; McClain. Journal- 
American). Four negative notices 
(Chapman, News; Coleman. Mirror; 
Hawkins. World-Telegram; Kerr. 
Herald Tribune) and one two- 
opinion (Watts. Post); budgeted at 
around $100,000, cost approximate- 
ly that amount to bring in, includ- 
ing tryout loss, but excluding 
bonds, and can break even at 
around $15,000. 

Fourposter, City Center <CD) 
(1st wk; 8; $3.60; 3.090; $50,160) 
(Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn). 
Opened last Wednesday (5) to six 
favorable reviews and one negative 
opinion (Watts, Post); grossed 
over $23,700 for first eight per- 
formances. 

House of Flowers, Alvin (MC) 
‘2d wk; 12; $6.90; 1.150; $47,000). 
Capacity at almost $44,000. 
with take cut by theatre party 
commissions (previous week. $35,- 
000 for first four performances 
and one preview’, with $11.50 top 
New' Year’s Eve). Opened Dec. 30 
to three affirmative notices (Cole- 
man, Mirror; Hawkins, World- 
Telegram; Watts, Post), three un- 
favorable reviews (Atkinson, 
Times; Kerr, Herald Tribune; Mc- 
Clain. Journal-American) and one 
two-opinion (Chapman, News); fi- 


nanced at $200,000. cost approxi- 
mately that amount to bring in, 
including $33,000 tryout loss, but 
excluding bonds, and can break 
even at around $30,000. 

Kismet, Ziegfeld <OP) ’58th wk; 
460; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (William 
Johnson. Elaine Malbin). Over 
; $39,100 (previous week, record for 
theatre, at $61,068, w ith $10.00 top 
New Year’s Eve). 

Lunatics and Lovers, Broadhurst 
<C) (4th wk; 32; $5.75-$4.60; 1,160; 
$29,500). Over $27,800 (previous 
week, over $32,800, with $7.50 
top New Year’s Eve). 

Mrs. Patterson, National <D) (6th 
wk; 46; $6.90-$5.75; 1,172; $36,000) 
'Eartha Kitt). Almost $19,100 

• previous week, nearly $26,000, 
with $9 80 top New Year’s Eve). 

Pajama Game, St. James (MC) 
<35lh wk; 276; $6.90; 1.571; $51,717) 
iJohn Raitt, Janis Paige, Eddie 
Foy, Jr.). Capacity as always, 
$52,100 (previous week, house 
record at $54,827, with $10.35 top 
New Year’s Eve). 

Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) 
(12th wk; 93; $6.90; 1.510; $57,500) 
(Mary Martin). Almost $39,000 
(previous week, $55,000, with $9.20 
top New Year’s Eve). 

Quadrille, Coronet <C) (10th 

wk; 78; $6 90-$5.75-$4.60; 1.027; 

$30,000) (Alfred Lunt. Lynn Fon- 
tanne, Edna Best, Brian Aherne). 
Over $26,900 (previous week, over 
$28,300, with $11.50 top New Year’s 
Eve). 

Rainmaker, Cort (C) (11th wk; 
84; $5.75-$4.60; 1.056; $29,000) 

(Geraldine Page). Almost $8,700 
(previous w'eek* over $16,700, with 
$6.90 top New Year’s Eve). 

Reclining Figure. Holiday <C) 
(14th wk; 108; $5.75-$4.60; 900; $28.- 
000 1. Nearly $8,500 (previous week, 
almost $15,000, with $6.90 top New 
Year’s Eve); closes next Saturday 
(15>. 

Saint of Bieecker Street, Broad- 
way (MD) (2d wk; 16; $6.90-$6.00; 
1,900; $60,000). Almost $19,200 

(previous week, nearly $28,600 for 
first eight performances, with $7.50 
top New Year’s Eve); biz has been 
slack in the orchestra, with up- 
stairs locations getting the bigger 
play; financed at around $150,000, 
cost about $160,000 to open, with- 
out an out-of-town^ tryout, and can 
break even at aroimd $45,000 gross. 

Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C ) 
(112th wk; 893; $5.75 $4.60; 1.063; 
$24,000) (Tom Ewell). Over $13,300 

• Drevious week, over $24,700, with 
$6.00 top New Year’s Eve). 

Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box 
<C> (61st wk; 485; $5.75-$4.60; 

1.077; $27,811). Over $10,700 (pre- 
vious week, nearly $24,000, with 
$6.90 top New Year’s Eve). 

Tea and Sympathy, Barrvmore 
(D) (66th wk; 525; $5.75-$4.60; 

1.214: $28,300) (Joan Fontaine). 

Nearly $12,200 (previous week, al- 
most $22,300, with $6.90 top New 
Year’s Eve). 

Teahouse of the August Moon, 

Beck (C) »65th wk; 524; $6.22-$4 60; 
1.214; $33,608) (David Wayne. John 
Forsythe). Over capacity as al- 
ways. topped $34,000 (previous 
week, a new house record for a 
straight play. $34,969, with $7.50 
top New Year’s Eve). 

Tender Trap, Longacre (C> H3th 
wk; 101; $5.75-$4.60; 1.048; $26,- 
317) (Robert Preston, Kim Hunter. 
Ronny Graham). Over $13,000 
(previous week, almost $16 300, 
with $6.00 top New Year’s Eve). 
Closed last Saturday (8) at a profit 
of about $15,000 on a $75,000 in- 
vestment; comedy has been taken 
over' by another management for 
touring. 

Wedding Breakfast. 48th St. (C) 

(8th wk; 57; S5.75-$4.60; 925; $23.- 
; 720). Nearly $9,000 (previous week, 

| almost $10,900, with $6.90 top New 
I Year’s Eve). 

What Every Woman Knows, City 
Center (MC) (2d wk; 16; $3 60; 
3.090: $50,160) (Helen Hayes). Al- 
most $45,800 for final week ending 
Jan. 1. with no hike in b.o. scale 
New' Year’s Eve. 

Witness for the Prosecution, 
Miller (D) (4th wk; 28; $5.75-$4 60; 
920; $23,248). Capacity at over 
} $23,600 (previous week, over $23 - 
900. with $6.90 top New Year’s 
Eve). 

Miscellaneous 

Ruth & Paul Draper, Bijou (2d 
wk; 16; $5.75-$4.60; 603; $17,000). 
Almost $8,900 (previous week, over 
$10,300 for first nine performances. 

Sandhog, Phoenix (M) (6th wk; 
48; $4 60-$3.45; 1.150; $24,067'. 

Over $11,300 for final week end- 
ing Jan. 2. with no hike in b.o. 
scale New Year’s Eve). 

Opening This Week 

Doctor’s Dilemma. Phoenix (C) 
($4 60-$3 45; 1,150; $24,067). 




’2X3 !*. 


y S *v-!>- 


Wwlnewlay, January 12, 1935 


LEGITIMATE 


theatrical construction. But “Mod- 
els” is bereft of the slightest trace 
of professional technique. 

Before the curtain Sammy 
Smith, a comic, tells the audience 
he is an emissary of Satan sent to 
expose dens of sex, in particular a 
motel just outside Louisville. In 
the course of the ensuing events 
a photographer and a slew of girls 
romp around the set, though what 
they are doing is obscure. The 
photographer is a clerk who dab- 
bles in part-time camera work as 
a pretext for meeting luscious 
gals. One happens to be engaged 
to a tough state trooper and the 
complications of the farce become 
more and more involuted as a gun- 
moll pops in the door just when 
the cameraman is set to make a 
conquest. 

Everyone concerned in the ill- 
timed episodes tosses effort into 
the stew. The girls are eye-fillers 
at any rate and one, April Kentt, 
seems to have potential stage au- 
thority. But to an audience that 
has become more savvy with the 
years, the lure of this show’s s.a. 
exploitation will not be 'enough. 

Elie. 


Tlae loair|M»Nter 

N. Y. City Center Theatre Co. revival 
of comedy drama in three acts <six 
Keenest, by .tan de Hartott. Stars Jessica 
Tandy and Hume Cronyn. Direction. Jose 
Ferrer; scenery. Syrjala; costumes, Lu- 
cinda Ballard. At City Center, N.Y., Jan. 
5. *55; $3. ttO top. 

Agnes Jessica Tandy 

Michael Hume Cronyn 


Whatever extravagant promises 
may precede ‘‘The Desperate 
Hours” on its way into New York, 
indications are that it will live up 

' .. p or sus tained wallop, the 

like this 
Packed 

, >. alive with pulsating 

and skillfully staged and 

the Joseph Hayes 
of his own novel 
a spot among 


to them 

stage will not find many 
drama in several seasons 
with suspense 
action i — . _ 
performed. 1 
d ramatization 
should readily find 
Broadway smasheroos. 

Hollywood producers 
well lay in a generous 
dry ice. The already-finished film 
version will probably be in refrig- 
eration a long time if its release is 
contingent upon completion of the 
legit edition. 

Staging of this work has been a 
distinct challenge. To crowd the j 
latitude that normally goes with i 
film amplification into the confines 
of a proscenium has required the 
exercising of considerable ingenu- 
ity. This has been accomplished 
through a combination of outstand- 
ing set designing and a fluidity of 
direction varying pinpoint empha- 
sis with wide-scope aetion that in- 
cludes simultaneous use of several 
playing areas. 

“Hours” is something more than 
just an exciting meller. It’s a 
chronicle of the innate heroism of 
a typical law-abiding citizen whose 
castle is invaded by a trio of 
prison-breakers. It’s also an inter- 
esting insight into the operation 
of manhunt methods. /Familiarity 
with the play's theme, through 
prior reading of the successful 


“ Models in Season ” folded Jan 
1 in Boston, after nine perform 
anccs. ) 


When the scenery and costumes u,uth «•» ***• gl- 
are the outstanding element in a | Repeating the roles they orig- 
musical, clear all roads to the , mated on Broadway and recreated 
warehouse! For months, Broadway 1 in an extensive road tour, Jessica 
has been hearing advance reports Tandy and Hume Cronyn turn in 
about a promising new show' by captivating performances. While 
Truman Capote and Harold Arlen. touring the hinterlands. tin 
But “House of Flowers” turns out Cronyns played numerous auditor 
to be a dull thud. iums as large as or larger thar 

London designer Oliver Messel City Center. It’s possible that dur 
has wrought a visual masterpiece ; * n 8 that time they mastered tht 
in the show’s delicate pastel West technique of projecting a thumb 
Indies settings and the vivid cos- j nail production to meet the re 
tumes. There are a few moder- • quirements of a vast house, 
ately pleasurable other things, in- J The Cronyns’ familiarity witl 
eluding a couple of fair songs, one , de Ilartog’s characters is evident 
or two funny lines and several in - 1 They play with warmth and since 
gratiating performers. But they rity in a completely convincin* 
are all minor rewards in a long, i manner. Jose Ferrer, w ho stagec 
uncomfortable evening. the Broadway original, gets direc 

Every now and then there’s a tor billing for the revival, althougl 
suggestion of what must have he’s on the Coast. Syrjala’s singh 
seemed intriguing in the original | bedroom set and Lucinda Ballard’; 
conception of “House of Flowers.” j costumes again add authentii 
However, it’s one of those shows flavor. Jess. 

in which everything seems to have 

gone wrong. None of the potential 

values appears to have been real- "°“! , J] SOn rr ■ omorro ^' 

j ze d 1 he Day After Tomorrow, bj 

After a modestly amusing open- Anne Walters, has been optionee 
ing, the Capote book is ponderous hy Violla Rubber and Alan Robin 
and humorless. The Arlen tunes, 
at least on the basis of a first 
hearing, sound mediocre, and the 
Capote-Arlen lyrics seem common- 
place. The dancing is frenzied in 
the tradition of West Indies lo- 
.cale shows, but generally appears 
pointless and not particularly 
skillful. The performances are. for 
the most part, merely competent. 

There is not a single uplifting, ex- 
citing moment of the sort that any 
hit musical should have in profu- 
sion. 

The Capote book, a product of 
the novelist-dramatist’s visit to 
; Haiti last year, is about two bit- 
terly rival bordello proprietors, 

Madame Fleur and Madame 
Tango. The unappetizing plot in- 
volves Madame Fleur’s attempt to 
i prevent the marriage of her inno- 


MoiIMm in Season 

Boston, Jan. 1. 

Marry Efron production of a farce in 
two acts, by David Carol. Direction. I.oy 
.Wilson and Leslie Cutler: scenery and 
costumes, Paul Patrix. At Majestic, Bos- 
ton, Dec. 27. ‘54: $3.60 top. 

Thaddeus Sammy Smith 

Marijane April Kentt 

Jamie Richard Towers 

Ellen Kim Townsend 

Lester I.oy Nilson 

Busty Majel Under 

Jane Patricia LaVclle 


This fugitive from last sum- 
mer’s strawhat belt still has hay- 
seed under its collar. Having 
undergone almost complete cast 
change and a shift in directors 
since its pasture preem, it shapes 
up as a moderately funny bur- 
lesque of the silver cord theme. It 
provides a fair number of chuckles, 
flavored with a bit of spice, but 
like so many of its predecessors 
this season, must tap new resources 
in its final road workout. 

Theme concerns a milquetoast 
son who crawls out from under his 
mother’s thumb long enough to 
become involved briefly with a 
promiscuous nurse who can not 
only take a temperature but can 
also raise one. Upshot is the ob- 
vious today-I-am-a-man finale as 
the lad tells oftf his mater and 
plans to marry a girl of his own 
selection. 

Fay Bainter gives a choice per- 
formance as a pedigree-conscious 
mdther whose personal color 
scheme emphasizes long green and 
blue blood. Her delineation of a 
mildly psycho case is good thesp- 
ing. Barbara Law-rence. playing the 
nurse, is attractive and capable at 
tossing off lines but seems to lack 
conviction as a trollop. Leonard 
Elliott, as a pompous social fixer, 


Even by twofer standards. 
"Models in Season” is inept. At 
least such oldies as “Getting Ger- 
tie’s Garter,” “Twin Beds” etc.. 
had some sense of stagecraft and 


ADVANCE AGENTS ! 
COMPANY MANAGERS I 


Wa have been serving theatrical 
shows for over 42 years. Ours is 
the oldest, most reliable and ex- 
perienced transfer company on the 
West Coast! 

• Railroad privilege* for handling 
shows and theatrical luggage. 

• Complete warehoute facilitieth 

• Authorixed in California. Equipped 
to tramfer and haul anywhere in 
U. S t 


• RATES ON REQUEST I 

Atlantic Transfer Company 

GEORGE CONANT 
1100 last 5th Street 
Los Angeles 13, Calif. 

MUtual (121 or Oxford 9-4764 


IN COLE PORTER'S 

“SILK STOCKINGS” 


Variety Dec. i*t 

"Sherry O'Neil, subbing for the ailing Yvonne Adair 
in 'Silk Stockings,' puts it across neatly . . . Miss O'Neil 
clicks with plenty of saucy sex in her impersonation of 
an American screen celeb making a picture in Paris." 

Waters. 


NEWLY 

REFURNISHED 


ncr, but has only one passable 
song, “Slide. Boy, Slide.” An ear- 
nest, appealing actress-singer, Dia- 
hann Carroll, has a standout num- 
ber in “I Never Has Seen Snow.” 
There’s lots and lots more in the 
show, but somehow nothing much 
more worth mentioning. 

Symptomatic of the Saint Sub- 


1400 SEATS 


For Information Call 
AL 4-1747 


Currently SHUBERT THEATRE-, Boston 


“Tonight in Samarkand” may 
prove to be the enigma of the 
tContinued on page 7D 



• » 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


LEGITIMATE 


71 


Shows Out of Town 


Continued from page 70 


Tonight in Samarkand 

1954-55 season on Broadway. It 
JS a paradox both in construction 
and content. It is at the same time 
both complex and predictable. 

The French import has a strong 
sense of the unique about it, and 
\ et it is based on one of the oldest 
known dramatic ideas. And 
l hough conceived on a noble prem- 
ise. it sometimes wears the air of 
creaking-door melodrama. 

The drama’s likely effect on a 
Xew York audience seems as formi- 
dable to predict as analyzing its 
theatrical values. Both matters 
toe complicated by the present 
state of the production. Because 
of staging troubles, the opening 
here last Thursday (6) was actually 
the plav's first full dress rehearsal, 
and there were the expected num- 
ber of snags by both cast ai^d crew-. 

•Samarkand,” a yarn about 
French circus people, retells the 
ancient struggle of on individual 
to control his own destiny. As in 
classic Greek tragedy, fate first re- 
veals man’s destiny and then 
forces him. inexorably, to fulfill it. 
This is the underlying theme of the 

play. , 41 

It is dramatized through the 
lives of two unwilling lovers who 
are driven to violent death at sea 
by circumstances which they can 
foresee but cannot avoid. Fate, in 
this case, reveals itself in a series 
of reverse flashbacks through the 
eyes of one of the lovers, a fortune 
teller. 

The play suffers from a small 
variety of correctable faults. Fore- 
most is that it's so obviously a 
translation, so that although the 
words are in English, the syntax 
often seems awkward. In addition, 
the play needs cutting, particularly 
in the show starting first act, and 
perhaps a less intense approach. 

As of the opening here, the in- 
dividual nerformances were neces- 
sarily a bit tentative. Louis Jour- 
dan. as the fortune teller, and 
Felicia Montalegre, as his tiger- 
taming partner in destiny, have 
not yet worked out their character- 
izations. However. Michael Gor- 
lin. Theodore Bikel, Alexander 
Scourby and Sylvia Daneel, are ex- 
cellent in supporting roles. 

Herman Shumlin. who directed 
rehearsals, was replaced after the 
opening by Albert Marre. Ben 
Edwards’ settings are unusual, 
handsome and somewhat complex. 
It will take a first-rate crew to 
handle them. 

Producers Bruce Becker and 
Robert Ellis Miller are continuing 
the tryout tour and. despite' obvi- 
ous problems and difficulties, they 
may pull into Broadway with a 
hit. It’s that kind of show. 

Hcny. 


the calm, crusading teacher. Kath- 
leen Phelan convinces as the 
teacher's wife who denounces her 
civic leader son, played- by James 
Field, who puts public recognition 
ahead of family loyalty, thereby 
losing his awakened dumb-blonde 
wife, capably portrayed by Louise 
Latham. Edward Cullen does a 
fine bit as a school board mogul. 

Ramsey Burch’s direction is taut 
and flawless, and the single relay 
set by James Pringle is tasteful 
and modest, befitting teacher eco- 
nomics. Bark. 


Glail Titling* 

Washington. Dec. 27. 

Harald Bromley revival of comedy In 
three acts, by Edward Mabley. Stars 
Constance Bennett, Tod Andrews. Haila 
Stoddard; features Henry Garrard. Janet 
De Gore, John Handolph, Rosemary 
Prinz, Fay Sappington. Stated by Brom- 
ley; scenery William and Jean Eckart. At 
Shubert Theatre, Washington, Dec. 27, 
'54: $2.75 top. 

Ethel Nash 'Haila Stoddard 

Mrs. MacDonald Fay Sappington 

Henry Howard Adelman 

Steve Whitney Tod Andrews 

Agnes Bell Rosemary Prinz 

Liza Abbott Constance Bennett 

Claire Abbott Janet De Gore 

Gus Kennedy John Randolph 

Terry Abbott Henry Garrard 


A couple of decades ago. come- 
dies like “Glad Tidings” were con- 
sidered bright theatre. But the Ed- 
ward Mabley piece is pretty shoddy 
stuff in this local revival starring 
Constance Bennett. 

Perhaps producer Harald Brom- 
ley figured the film star would do 
for “Tidings” what Tallulah Bank- 
head has done on Broadway with 
“Dear Charles.” If so. he should 
have allowed the actress to kick 
off restraint by kidding the script. 
However, she plays it straight and 
thereby spoils the Mabley chestnut 
as a touring prospect. Miss Ben- 
nett, looking siimly fetching, turns 
in a performance worthy of better 
material than “Tidings.” 

Haila SRiddard, repeating her 
original Broadway role of the rich, 
virtuous and dull magazine editor, 
is effective, but Tod Andrews 
seems negative as the roving cor- 
respondent domesticated by the 
knowledge that he’s the father of 
a teenage daughter. Loire. 


B’way Payoffs 


Continued from page 67 


The ll<‘i»lo«*k (up 

Dallas, Dec. 24. 

Margo Jones production of comedy in 
three .icts by Edward Hunt. Features 
Edwin Whitner, James Field. Directed by 
K .msey Burch: technical direction. James 
Pringle. At Theatre '54, Dallas, Dec. 20; 
S.'i top. 

I. aura Froivogel Kathleen Phelan 

Nancy Freivogel Louise Latham 

Walter Freivogel James Field 

Samuel Freivogel Edwin Whitner 

Ben Carpenter Edward Cullen 


Actor-author Edward Hunt’s 
second play effort gets a reward- 
ing tryout as Margo Jones’ arena 
theatre, adding up to one of the 
year’s better productions. 

Theme concerns a liberal high- 
school teacher’s struggle with a 
stuffy school board and conserva- 
tive civic leaders. He loses his job, 
but his man-on-the-street report 
reveals the local public’s ignor- 
ance. and is snapped up for book- 
ol-the-month publication. Compli- 
cations are happily^ resolved. Yarn 
is excellent film material. • 
Edwin Whitner is at his best as 


FAIRFAX 

BURGHER 

Currtntly 5th WEEK in 

"LUNATICS 
and LOVERS" 

BROADHURST THEATRE 
Now York 


SUMMER THEATRE 
WANTED 

BY ESTABLISHED PRODUCER-DIRECTOR. 
RENTAL OR PERCENTAGE. 

WRITE BOX V, 202, VARIETY 
154 W. 46th STREET, NEW YORK CITY 


vestors on their $65,000 contribu- 
tion, 

J Financed at $75,000, “Mrs. Pat- 
terson,” currently in its seventh 

! week, is expected to get back its 
entire investment at the end of its 
10th or 11th week at the National 
Theatre, ending Feb. 5 and 11, re- 
spectively. The Leonard Sillman 
production, starring Eartha Kitt, 
has already made a 20% return to 
investors. 

“Boy Friend,” produced by Cy 
Feuer & Ernest H. Martin, re- 
couped its $140,000 capitalization 
at the end of its 10th week at the 
Royale. British musical import, 
w hich has been playing to capacity 
since opening, is currently in its 
16th week. 

“Trap” and “Rainmaker,” both 
$75,000 productions, had film sales 
enabling them to recover their in- 
vestments at the end of their first 
five weeks at the Longacre Thea- 
tre and Cort Theatre, respectively. 
“Trap,” produced by Clinton Wil- 
der, wound up its run last Satur- 
day (8), the end of its 13th week. 
Starring Preston Foster, Kim Hun- 
ter and Ronny Graham, the Max 
Shulman-Robert Paul Smith com- 
edy had a pre-production film sale. 
Metro bought the pic rights for a 
$75,000 down payment, plus week- 
ly payments equal to 10% of the 
boxoffice gross, with a ceiling of 
$150,000. Show’s share of the 
downpayment came to $30,000, less 
10% agent’s commission. 

Touring rights to the comedy 
have been acquired by Arthur 
Waxman, Jay Lurye and Bernard 
Simon, who’ll open the show Jan. 
21 at the McCarter Theatre, 
Princeton, with Kent Smith, K. T. 
Stevens and Russell Nype as leads. 

“Rainmaker,” produced by Ethel 
Linder Reiner, In association with 
Hope Abelson, and starring Ger- 
aldine Page, w as sold to Hal Wallis 
and Joseph Hazen, indie film pro- 
ducers. for $350,000. Deal called 
for a $100,000 down payment, giv- 
ing the production $38,600 as its 
share of that sum, after deduction 
of the regular percentage lopoffs. 
Balance is to be paid off at the 
rate of $62,500 a year for the next 
four years, with production’s share 

1 of future installments totalling 
$24,250 yearly. Comedy is current- 
ly in its 12th week. 


Blackmer Gravely 111 
After 2d Major Surgery 

Greensboro, N. C., Jan. 11. 

Legit-film star Sidney Blackmer, 
60, who underwent a major abdom- 
inal operation Dec. 23 at Salisbury, 
N. C., had a second operation in 
Rowan Memorial Hospital there 
yesterday iMon.). Actor was strick- 
en while on a Christmas visit to 
relatives. He is a native of Salis- 
bury. Doctors said his condition is 
critical. 


Off-Broadway Show 


Current Road Shows 

(Jan. 10-22) 

Cain* Mutiny Court Martial— Peabody 
Aud., Daytona <10>; Washington Aud., 
Jacksonville (11-12). Muny Aud., Savan- 
nah (13). 

Dark 1$ Light Enough (tryout) — Nixon, 
Pitts. (10 15); Ford’s, Balti (17 22). 

Desperate Hours (tryout)— Locust St., 
Philly (10 22). 

Fifth Season — Erlanger. Chi. (10 22). 

Getting Gertie's Garter— Aud.. Rochea- 
ter (10-15); Erlanger. Buffalo (17-22). 

Grand Prize (tryout) — Wilbur, Boston 
( 10 - 22 ). 

King and I— Shubert, Chi. (10 22). 

Moon Is Blue — Aud.. Pueblo. Colo. (10- 
11); Aud., Denver (13-15); Curran, S. F 
(20 22 ). 

Oh Men, Oh Women — Harris. Chi. (10-22) 

Paiama Tops— Erlanger. Philly (17-22). 

Plain and Fagcy dryout) — Shubert 
Philly. (10 22). 

Put Tham All Togathar (tryout) — Plym 
outh, Boston (10-15); Cass. Detroit (17 22) 

Ruth Draper — Shubert. Wash. ( 17-22*. 

Seven Year Itch — Hartman. Columbus 
(10-15); Victory, Dayton (17-22). 

Silk Stockings (tryout) — Shubert, Bos 
ton (10-22). 

South Pacific — Ford’s, Balto. (10-15) 
Shubert, New Haven (17 22). 

Southwest Corner (tryout) — Walnut St 
Philly (1022). 

Tea and Sympathy — Forrest, Philly 
(10 22 ). 

Teahouse of the August Moon — Bilt 

more, L. A. (12-22). 

Time Out For Ginger — Curran, S. F 
(10-15). 

Tonight In Samarkand (tryout) — Col 
onial, Boston (10-22). 

Wonderful Town — Shubert, Detroit 
(10-22). 


The Troublemaker* 

Marc Productions production of a 
drama in three acta by George Beliak. 
Features W'illiam Smithers. Luis Wheeler. 
Curt Conway. Ruth White. Bernard 
Kates. Don Fellows. Howard Wierum. 
Michael Lewin. Salem Ludwig. Directed 
by Michael Howard; scenery and light- 
ing. Ralph Alswang. At President, N.Y., 
Dec. 30. '54; $4 60 top. 

Mattie Gerrity Ruth White 

Otis Gerrity Francis Letton 

Jeremiah Gerrity Curt Conway 

Clara Gerrity Lois W' heeler 

Steve Sproek Don Fellows 

Ralph Como Bernard Kates 

Ben Kent Lew Gallo 

Sandy Reynolds John Glennon 

Stanley Carr William Smithers 

Turin Gerrity Archie Smith 

Prof. Phillip Lockwood Howard Wierum 

Buck Wallace George Gilbreath 

Lawrence W. Sproek .... Michael Lewin 
Detective Sgt. Bender . . . Salem Ludwig 


Although George Beliak’s “The 
Troublemakers” is based on an ac- 
tual incident, this message-packed 
melodrama seems synthetic. 

Inspired by an accidental killing 
of a youth at Dartmouth College 
by his fellow students, the play 
gets off to a high-pitched opening 
with the “roughing up” and re- 
sulting murder by a group because 
of the victim’s outspoken articles 
in the school paper. 

The next seven scenes are a let- 
down. as the troubled roommate 
who has witnessed but not partici- 
pated in the slaying searches his 
own soul, finally concludes that he 
must no longer listen to the “prac- 
tical” advice which has kept him 
silent, and he confesses, implicat- 
ing himself and the others. 

Other themes with contemporary 
implications, such as the climate 
of fear and mua!s inhumanity to 
man are brought in as well, 
through the murdered boy’s fiery 
Irish grandfather. But these also 


seem unimportant because the 
play, although realistic in form, 
never quite seems real. 

In the leading part of the con- 
science-troubled roommate, Wil- 
liam Smithers gives a fine per- 
formance. always under control. 
The college boys, the family of the 
murdered student, a professor and 
an influential business man are all 
types rather than believable hu- 
man beings. Bernard Kates docs 
well with one of the students, a 
self-promoter; Archie Smith is 
suitably idealistic as the boy who 
is killed; and Lois Wheeler brings 
some life to the unappealing role 
of his sister. 

The direction by Michael How- 
ard keeps the conversation un- 
necessarily high-pitched and the 
action overly intense. As the vic- 
tim’s patient father and long-buf- 
fering mother neither Ruth White 
nor Francis Letton is especially 
convincing, while Curt Conway’s 
grandfather is the traditional stage 
Irishman. 

The play was tried out in a read- 
ing by the New Dramatists in 1952 
and produced in London the same 
year, with Gene Lyons in the cast. 
A theatre shortage forced the clos- 
ing of that production. Grif. 


Lotito Hospitalized 

Louis A. Lotito, president of 
City Playhouses. Inc., and man- 
ager of the Martin Beck Theatre, 
N. Y.. is a patient in Lahey hos- 
pital, Boston. 

He went in Jan. 3 for a checkup 
and is due for discharge late this 
week. 


THEATRE TOURS 


SATURDAY JANUARY 29 th at 3:45 PM SHARP 




DEPART 


from SARDI S, world renowned restaurant of the theatre, 
on 44th Street, West of Broadway, via streamlined luxury 
coaches . 





Full Course BEEFSTEAK DINNER 


at World Famous, The Red Barn 

on the Merritt Parkway in beautiful Westport, Conn. 


THEATRE 


HEOtftICK IRISS0N, tOlfIT (. Cliff ITN ft NAIOLO S. flllKC 


OPENING 

NIGHT 

ORCHESTRA 


SEATS 


FRAN WARREN 

LARRY DOUGLAS - BUSTER WEST 

TNI C0 " ***** 

f>MAVAA G 4 MY 

fleiW en lb« *•*•! "7*/i br RlCHAftO BlSSfll) 

i..i h , GEORG! ABBOTT ..j RICHARD BISSHL 
M..,c .nW iff id b, RICHARD ADIER mmt JERRY ROSS 

.* PAT STANLEY 

Scenery o^d Coilamii by LEMUEL AYERS 
CAereoyreoby by BOB FOSSE 

Muixml Direct'** by Orcli»ilr«li«M by Da* ce A*utlc Arrmn by 

OfOAGt MIDST DON WAIKCR Root A ADAMS 

Production Directed by 

GEORGE AB80TT and JEROME ROBBINS 
SHUBERT THEATRE NEW HAVEN , CONN. 






RETURN 


directly after the final curtain to Sardi’s . . . midnight snock 
served en-route. AND surprise souvenirs for everyone plus an 
added special gift for each couple of the Columbia LP, original 
cast album of “The Pajama Game" and for the ladies, 
Balenciaga perfume and Orchids of Hawaii too; and for 
each person a pair of Weldon's “King and Queen of Hearts” 
Pajamas (and for couples — they’re matching) as seen in 
"The Pajama Game” 


FOR RESERVATIONS 


Call THEATRE TOURS, ELdorado 5-3515-6 


LIMITED ACCOMMODATIONS — RESERVE NOW 


THEATRE TOUAS IS A SERVICE OF THEATRICAL SUBSIDIARIES , INCORPORATED, 598 MADISON AVI., N. Y. C. 







72 


COXCKRTS-OPKIM 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


French Concert Setup in Quick Foldo; 
1C0G Loss in Retirement Deal Nix 


Ward French’s abortive attempt 
to start an organized audience 
movement of his own, after being 
ousted as head of Community Con- 
certs in mid-November, came a 
cropper in N. Y. just before New 
Year's, when his International 
Concert Service folded just a 
month after its formal ioception. 
Loss was about $25,000. mainly in 
administrative costs. 

Events moved swiftly in the final 
week. French reportedly bad a 
timetable set for Jan. 1, when he 
had expected to have 200 cities 
(most of them from the Community 
setup' lined up for bis new oi g. 
Instead, he had corralled less than 
25. James R. Fleming. Fort Wayne 
publisher and French’s financial 
backer in the new venture, bad put 
up the $25,000 to get it started, and 
reportedly was planning to add 
another $35,000 if the 200-city 
timetable was met. Fleming pulled 
out of the venture Dec. 29 and 
went back home. 

French, it’s understood, then 
went over to National Concei t & 
Artists Corp. with a proposition to 
tie in with its audience movement 
branch. Civic Concerts, and turn 
over the 20-odd towns he had lined 
up. Deal was nixed by NCAC. 
probably because it wanted no 
hassles with its rival bureau. Co- 
lumbia Artists Mgt., parent of 
Community Concerts. Whereupon, 
on Dec. 30. French and his asso- 
ciate. Robert Ferguson, notified 
staffers and field men that Inter- 
national would fold “because of a 
change in financial aid and support 
... and because of inadequate 
backing.” 

Stock Buyup Angle 

On Oct. 28, just a month before 
International was formed, French, 
who was then chairman of the 
board of Columbia and prez of 
Community, its subsid. was asked 
by Columbia to retire. (French 
who is 64, has not been in good 
health for some time'. Columbia 
offered French the three years’ 
salary due him under his contract, 
and offered to buy up his Colum- 
bia stock at a good figure. 

These two items, plus his pen- 
sion. reportedly would have as- 
sured French over $200,000. 
French, it’s believed, was then al- 
ready too far committed with plans 
for bis own setup (rumored to be 
brewing for months', to accept. 
Columbia now won’t buy up his 
stock, and last week also served 
French with papers, charging 
breach of contract. So that, though 
he still rates his pension, it’s be- 
lieved French ^stands to lose about 
$100,000 for not taking up Colum- 
bia’s October proposition. 

Trade toppers estimated that 
French needed about $400,000 
(with $250,000 as the absolute mini- 
mum' to cover expenses before in- 
come started for any type of au- 
dience movement setup that would 
successfully compete with Colum- 
bia’s 900 Community towns and 
NCAC’s 500 Civic cities. 

Of the 20-odd towns French did 
line up for himself, three have 
gone independent, two have gone 
over to Civic, while the others arc 
remaining with Community. The 
20 execs and staffers who left Co- 
lumbia to go over to International 
with French are now out of jobs. 
One had only one more year to go 
at Columbia for her pension. Fer- 
guson is reported joining an indus- 
trial concern outside show' biz. 


Ballet Kusse $70,000 
For 1 1 Showings in Chi 

Chicago, Jan. 11. 

Although drubbed by the local 
critics, the Ballet Russe de Monte 
Carlo grossed just under $70,000 
during its 11 -performance run at 
the Opera House, which ended 
Jan. 2. House was scaled to a $5 
top, with a $6 top on New Year’s 
Kve. 

Jose Greco comes in Jan. 19 for 
six performances with a top of 
$4.40. 


More 1 Musici Dates 

I Musici. Italian string ensemble 
which made its U. S. debut in Town 
Hall, N. Y., Sunday <9>, has been 
I booked for two extra Manhattan 
dates, Feb. 13 and 19, as result of 
j sock notices received. Sol Hurok 
j is handling the 12-man group in 
this country. 

Ensemble left N. Y. Sunday 
night for a skedded eight-week 
U. S. tour. 


Hurok’s Top Terp 
List: 1 Troupes 

Sol Hurok. concert manager 
whose name has been synonymous 
with ballet in the past two decades, 
is propping for his most active sea- 
son to date in the dance next year, 
with no less than seven terp at- 
tractions on his ’55-’56 list. (This 
is in addition to his regular roster 
of concert talent.) 

Biggest event, of course, will be 
the return of Satdler’s Wells Ballet, 
after a two-season absence. Troupe 
will bow with a four-week run at 
the Met Opera House, N. Y., in 
September, and stay in the U. S. 
about 13 weeks. Margot Fonteyn, 
Violetta Elvin, Beryl Grey and Mi- 
chael Somes will be back as leads, 
as will Svetlan:! Beriosova, Elaine 
Fifield and^ David Blair, latter trio 
upped from the Sadler’s Theatre 
Ballet. Moira Shearer and Robert 
Helpmann are no longer with the 
company. 

Second biggest terp event is the 
return of Ballet Theatre to Hurok’s 
management ^after an eight-year 
lapse. Troupe' w ill have an exten- 
sive tour, and probably play N. Y. 
,Jor a spring season. 

Other dance attractions on the 
Hurok list include Alexandra Dani- 
lova & Co., Azuma Kabuki Co. and 
Antonio & Co. The Scots Guards 
Band (which includes massed 
pipers and dancers' is still another 
attraction, while the seventh terp 
event (although contracts haven’t 
been signed yet) is the Inbal 
troupe, from Israel. 


Unique Philly Orch Deal; 
Lends Men Money to Buy 
Precious Instruments 

Philadelphia, Jan. 11. 

An 18th-Century cello, from the 
atelier of Matteo GofTriller, in 
Venice, has been added to the Phil- 
adelphia Orchestra’s string section, 
according to a financing statement 
filed with the prothonotary of 
Common Pleas Court here. 

Purchaser was Lome Munroe, 
symph’s first cellist, arid the price 
was $10,000, with the orchestra 
loaning 58,000 of the amount. 
Court statement brought out the 
fact that loans to musicians for 
costly instruments has been a prac- 
tice of the orchestra for 20 years. 

According to manager Harl Mc- 
Donald, plan acts as a financial in- 
ducement to members to buy finest 
instruments available. “That is 
why the Philadelphia Orchestra has 
the most valuable set of string in- 
struments in the world — in his- 
tory,” McDonald declared. When 
a member selects an instrument, 
conductor Eugene Ormandy holds 
an audition for it. If he approves, 
the loan is advanced. The amount 
is paid off through payroll deduc- 
tions, and as far as McDonald 
knows, the Philadelphia is the only 
orchestra with such a plan. ‘‘No 
interest is charged and we have 
never lost a nickel,” McDonald 
said. 

When he came to this city four 
years ago from the Minneapolis 
Symphony, Monroe had a $1,500 
cello. The GofTriller was originally 
priced at $15,000, but when its 
owner died it was picked up from 
the estate for $10,000. 



New Primus Dance Troupe 
Signed by Kenneth Allen 

Negro dancer Pearl Primus has 
signed with Kenneth Allen Asso- 
ciates for a concert tour next Oc- 
tober through December. She’ll be 
supported by a new company in- 
cluding three femme and two male 
dancers, three drummer-singers, a 
spiritual-blues singer and a pianist. 

Allen also signed a management 
contract with violinist Ricardo Od- 
noposoff, who was heretofore with 
Columbia Artists Mgt. OdnoposofT, 
currently on a wdrld trek through 
next December, will be back in the 
U. S. next January for a six month 
tour. 


HILSBERG REPACTED 

New' Orleans, Jan. 11. 

Alexander Hilsberg’s contract as 
conductor of the New Orleans Sym- 
phony has been renewed for the 
next three years. 

Symphony season has also been 
extended from 22 to 25 weeks. 


Ballet Theatre Getting 
Alonso for Chicago Run 

Alicia Alonso, Ballet Theatre’s 
top ballerina, is rejoining the 
troupe for its Chicago engagement, 
beginning Feb. 27. and will be 
with it for the 15th anniversary 
gala at the N.Y. Met Opera House 
starting April 12. 

Miss Alonso had been touring 
Central and South America with 
her own company this season, and 
now' is back in her native Cuba 
resting before joining BT. 


Donizetti: Lucia (Columbia'. 
Brisk, effective version of the 
operatic masterpiece, with well- 
chosen leads and rousing choruses. 
Emphasis is on pace rather than 
poetry. Lily Pons, though occa- 
sionally sounding strained, hus- 
bands her resources, uses them 
carefully and effectively, for an 
exciting, artistic performance as 
Lucia. Richard Tucker is a vibrant 
tenor, Frank Guarrera a resonant 
baritone. Fausta Cleva conducts 
the combined Met Opera forces 
adequately. 

Verdi: — Requiem (Angel). Impres- 
sive, highly dramatic performance 
by La Scala forces under Victor de 
Sabata. Whether in piano pas- 
sages, thundering choruses, or 
powerful solo utterances, work is 
sung and played with great sensi- 
tivity of detail. Elisabeth Schwarz- 
kopf is a superb soprano soloist, 
Oralia Dominguez a striking mez- 
zo, Cesare Siepi a robust bass, and 
Giuseppe di Stefano a satisfactory 
if occasionally too metallic a tenor. 
Sweep and style carry everything 
before it here. 

Bach: Concertos in E & A Minor 

(RCA Victor). Jascha Heifetz, aid- 
ed by the Los Angeles Philhar- 
monic under Alfred Wallenstein, 
in felicitious performances that 
have spirit as well as lofty pene- 
tration. Concerto No. 2 in E is a 
bright, facile work; the A Minor 
more classic and serious in style. 

Beethoven: Sonatas No. 1, F Mi- 
nor & No. 2, in A (London). Early 
Haydnesque works, charming, 
graceful and gay, yet already 
showing the later, maturer Beet- 
hoven. Here they get fluent, styl- 
ish and musiciarily readings by pi- 
anist Friedrich Gulda. 


i 


COLUMBIA ARTISTS MANAGEMENT 

ANNOUNCES 

HERBERT VON KARAJAN* 

a name that will soon resound In America 

CONDUCTING 

1st American Tour, BERLIN PHILHARMONIC. Fob. and March 1955 
1st American Tour, PHlLHARMONIA OF LONDON, Oct. and Nov. 1955 

FOR INFORMATION: 

COLUMBIA ARTISTS MANAGEMENT 

113 West 57th St., New YqrV. New York 

*Anqel Records 


Marian Anderson’s Sock Met Debut In 


Historic Ball’ Seen As Trailblazer 


By ARTHUR BRONSON 

The Metropolitan Opera’s own 
desegregation policy got under way 
formally and brilliantly in N. Y. 
last Friday night (7), when Marian 
Anderson appeared in Verdi’s “The 
Masked Ball” before a distin- 
guished, packed and exhilarated 
house. 

The first Negro to sing at the 
Met in its 71-year existence (al- 
though a Negro dancer, Janet Col- 
lins, appeared there three seasons 
ago', trie queenly contralto was the 
most eminently proper choice to 
lead the way to a general integra- 
tion of Negroes into the roster. 
(Another, baritone Robert McFer- 
rin, will appear at the end of this 
month, and more are likely to fol- 
low next season'. 

It was an historic occasion, as 
well as one of deep sentiment and 
emotion, because of Miss Ander- 
son. It was also a highly artistic 
evening, due to a superb perform- 
ance by an all-star cast brilliantly 
led by guest conductor Dimitri 
Mitropoulos. 

The house was an SRO $19,255. 
sold out within days after the first 
announcement. Negro press reps 
from as far as the West Indies, 
opera lovers from San Francisco, 
show biz and world celebs fffingled 
with regular subscribers. 

Miss Anderson was down for 
only three Met appearances (all in 
“Masked Ball”) this season, be- 
cause her regular concert sked was 
set before the opera pacting. Her 
fee is the Met’s top — $1,000 a per- 
formance, and (although it wasn’t 
disclosed) the contralto promptly 
turned back her first night’s fee to 
the Met’s production fund. Gen- 
eral manager Rudo^ Bing ap- 
proached Miss Anderson’s man- 
ager, Sol Hurok, immediately after 
Friday’s performance, and was 
heard to say. “We must have her 
for more appearances.” But Hurok 
couldn’t juggle her recital sched- 
ule to allow for two additional Met 
dates. 

Dominating the Scene 

Although Miss Anderson, sing- 
ing Ulrica the soothsayer, appears 
in only one scene, it is an effective 
one, which she dominates. She has 
two arias to sing and ensemble 
work. And this was her evening. 
After the long, thunderous ovation 
that greeted her appearance, her 
nervousness in her first aria was 
excusable. (This was not only her 
Met debut, but Miss Anderson’s 
first appearance on any stage in an 
acting role). 

Reaching the apex of a long, dis- 
tinguished concert career with this 


operatic stint, Miss Anderson was 
a memorable stage figure, dynamic 
and dramatic. Vocally, though not 
the singing wizard of a decade 
ago, she was also impressive, the 
voice showing power, a sustained 
line and the singer’s amazing 
range in registers. There w-ere oc- 
casional tremors and waverings of 
pitch, but on the whole it was 
clear, dramatic, vivid singing of 
high order. 

In this, she was matched by a 
grade-A surrounding cast. Zinka 
Milanov was a superlative Amelia, 
with some delicately-spun head 
tones that were sheer sensuous de- 
light. Richard Tucker was a pol- 
ished, manly Riccardo and Leon- 
ard Warren a sonorous, distin- 
guished Renato. A bobbed Roberta 
Peters was cute as a button as the 
page, and vocally as well as physi- 
cally one of the best ever to grace 
that role in the opera. Norman 
Scott and Nicola Moscona proved 
a superior pair of conspirators, 
handling the laughing song ex- 
pertly. 

Mitropoulos wove his magic in 
handling the stage and orch pit, 
showing his versatility in master- 
ing Verdi as well as the recent 
Strauss (“Salome”), meticulous as 
to detail, electric in climaxes, and 
weaving singers, orch and score 
into a brilliant, sustained whole. 
Manager Bing rates kudos not only 
for his sense of the dramatic, but 
also for his progressive ideas in 
breaking down the color bars, by 
the signing of Miss Anderson. 

New Brooklyn Symphony 
To Be Headed by Landau 

A new symphony orchestra has 
been formed in Brooklyn by Sieg- 
fried Landau. Orch, tabbed the 
Brooklyn Philharmonic, w'ill be 
managed by Marks Levine, head of 
'National Concert & Artists Corp., 
and will headquarter at the Brook- 
lyn Academy of Music. Landau, 
head of the orch and opera depart- 
ments of the N. Y. College of 
Music and director of the Y. M. H. 
J A., N. Y. chorus, w ill be the con- 
ductor. 

Orch will give its first concerts 
May 3. 5 and 7 at the Academy, 
in the form of a Beethoven Festi- 
val. Players, all professional, will 
then number 65. But orch will be 
increased to full symphonic 
strength of 100 for next fall, when 
it will start a regular series of six 
concerts, one a month. It will also 
give a youth concert series. 


Inside Stuff— Concerts 

Jussi Bjoerling, who dropped off the Met Opera roster this season 
when illness last year caused him to cancel several engagements, has 
been signed by the new’ and enterprising Chicago Lyric Theatre for 
appearances next fall, opposite the Italian-American sensation, Maria 
Callas. What effect this will have on the noted Swedish tenor’s return 
to the Met next fall is uncertain, as the two opera companies’ seasons 
(especially where rehearsals are concerned) will overlap. Bjoerling 
is slated for eight performances in October artd November in Chi 
during the troupe’s five-week fall season, and the Met starts up Nov. 
14. Bjoerling’s health has improved, and he’s concertizing in South 
Africa and Yugoslavia this year. 


The N.Y. Times Magazine’s recent article by Met manager Rudolf 
Bing on opera caught the trade’s eye — and raised a couple of eye- 
brows. The Times illustrated the piece with a large, half-page picture 
of box-holders at a La Scala, Milan, performave, applauding US. 
singers. “La Scala applauds,” read the cutline, with no names men- 
tioned. Times didn’t point out that the central part of the picture, 
the stage-box of guests, seen clearly, contained the noted maestro, 
Arturo Toscanini; his daughter, Countess Wally Castellarco. and 
I Italian conductor Victor de Sabata. with whom Toscy, long at odds 
, politically, reportedly has become reconciled. 


The N.Y. Music Critics Circle on Monday (10) picked Its “bests” 
for 1954, with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 as best orchestral 
work; Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “Saint of Bleecker Street” as best opera; 
Orff’s “Carmina Burana” best choral work; Rieti’s 3d String Quartet 
best chamber piece. Vittorio Giannini got a special citation for his 
“Taming of the Shrew” as done on NBC-TV Opera Theatre. 


“I listened to Negro and white singers while I was in Europe,” said 
' Rudolf Bing, the Metropolitan Opera’s general manager recently in 
i the N.Y. Times. “I’m looking for voices,* not colors. We have been 
fortunate in Janet Collins’ exciting dancing at the opera house, and 
now Marian Anderson, who is singing Ulrica, the fortune teller in 
Verdi’s ‘Masked Ball.’ We have signed Robert McFerrin. a young 
baritone, and we will consider other Negro artists. Naturally, singers 
are listened to with a certain repertory in mind. When it comes to en- 
gaging anyone, there is no use in engaging a wonderful soprano if 
one needs a bass. That applies to Negro singers, too. I must consider 
the parts in which they are cast. Eva in ‘Die Meistersinger’ might be 
difficult w'ith a Negro singer; nor could I easily envisage a Negro Elsa 
in ‘Lohengrin.’ But there are quite a few parts in the Italian and 
German repertory which I would not hesitate to cast with a colored 
singer if I found one whose vocal abilities seemed outstanding. Color 
does not worry me at all.” 


WfdneMlafi January 12, 195S 


LITERATI 


73 


Literati 


Odd Libel Ruling i 

Under an interesting ruling 
handed down in N. Y. Supreme 
Uourt last week, it is libelous to 
, un a story charging a professional 
writer with having written an ar- 
ticle that resulted in a libel suit 
which another publisher settled 
for a substantial sum. Decision 
was made by Justice Matthew M. 

I cvv is denying a motion made by 
Walter Winchell and the Hearst 
Uorp for dismissal of a libel suit 
brought against them by Eva Har- 
rison as executrix of the estate of 
Charles Yale Harrison. 

Harrison, who died shortly after 
the action was filed, contended in 
the complaint that the defendants 
“falsely and maliciously” injured 
him by publishing the following scene, 
item- “Life settled out of court 
with labor leader Van Arsdale oyer 
( has Yale Harrison’s (the plain- 
tiff’s) ’Van Arsdale’s Tight Little 
Island’ piece of a few seasons ago. 

Paid him $17,500.” 

In his opinion. Justice Levy 
pointed out that Harrison claimed 
that the publication is libelous per 
S e. For, it’s alleged, by such pub- 
lication the meaning was intended 
to be conveyed that Harrison’s 
piece about Van Arsdale in Life 
mag resulted in libel action against 
Life, which was settled by pay- 
ment of a substantial sum to Van 
Arsdale. Moreover, the court 
notes, the complaint also main- 
tains that “in consequence the im- 
pressions were obtained that the 
plaintiff had committed a crime by 
having delivered a libelous article 
to Life . . . and was a grossly care- 
less. immoral, inept and incompe- 
tent writer and public relations 
consultant.” 

In the course of his career as a 
writer and publicist, Harrison had 
been associated with Harry Van 
Arsdale. who was business man- 
ager of Local 3 of the International 
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

Justice Levy, whose opinion deny- 
ing the motion for dismissal was a 
lengthy one, also held that clari- 
fication of the meaning of the 
statement published by Winchell 
and Hearst “would be a matter for 
the determination of a jury.” 


minder for any tourist, and a cinch 
incentive for any potential tourist. 


elected vice-president of the West- 
ern Writers of America, an organ- 
ization of scripters of cowpoke 
yarns. 

Richard Aldrich’s chronicle of 
his late wife, “Gertrude Lawrence 


Scully on By-Liners 


Continued from page 2 


sale M of' 2 A 000 h ?opfcs P 'Js P of b ' ° ut » franlic (•.ill for voluntoers whose brilliance has rarely failed 

The French Bureau de Tourisme j with 35,000 copies printed for pub- Novembei he has enough contributions to account foi halt 


should subsidize it 

Bennett Cerf’s kingsize “Ency- 


lication last Friday’ (7) the denuded forests in the western world. 

Cyril Clemens, editor of the ! earl y December he begins to see the folly of such fear, but it 


clopedia of Modern American ; Mark Twain Journal at Kirkw ood. is to ° late by ‘then to hold back what he himself has started. He has 

Humor” (Doubleday; $3.95) is just , Mo., is gathering anecdota on his to wade through mountains of paper to get to 154 West 46th St. He 

that, a treasury of some the best I kinsman. Asks anybody having fa- 1 also has to dodge traffic citations for blocking public highways, 

light reading by American humor- vorite stories of or about Mark By the time all this copy is sorted and baled, there is enough overset 


ists. 

Grantland Rice’s posthumous 
memoirs, “The Tumult and the 
Shouting” (Barnes; $5), is subtitled 
"IVfy Life in Sport,” and a rich, 
full, never-dull life i{ has been. 
The dean of American sports 
writers died at 73 last July but his 
memoirs are a fine record of per- 
sonal achievement and an indelible 
chronicle of the American sporting 

AbeL 


Cue’s Travel Dept. 

Starting this week, Cue mag, 
N.Y. entertainment weekly, will 
have a travel section edited by 
Eric Mann. Plus a 12-page monthly 
supplement encasing one country 
or region, the mag will feature a 
weekly column. First of the 
monthly specials will take in Italy, 
the second (Feb. 12) will be de- 
voted to the Caribbean, and in 
March the feature will be on spas 
and festivals. Tied in is a readers’ 
travel info service. 

Mann is a travel writer for a 
number of newspapers and also 
lectures on the subject. He’s a 
director of the Institute for Inter- 
continental Studies. 


Twain to mail them to him. to start a metropolitan daily — and at the rate of their demise, wouldn’t 

Stories on Geroge Gobel 'are ap- this use of Variety's excess be a good idea? 
pearing the next two months in To palliate the army of contributors who were panicked into writing 
Cosmopolitan, Modern Screen, ] ike mad to meet an emergency, it soon becomes obvious that some- 


Pageant. Better Homes & Gardens, | 
TV Revue. TV Magazine. TV Life, 
TV Radio-Mirror and TV Annual. 

Edmond M. Hopkins, formerly 
business manager, succeeds his 
father, the late Fred M. Hopkins, 
as publisher of the Fostoria (O.) 
Review Times. Virgil E. Switzer, 
city editor since 1931, was named 
editor. 


body will have to be a gentleman and pull out. Not being around to 
fight for his credits, the somebody sure to go first is Scully and his 
scintillating scrapbook. With his contribution goes a thumbsized photo- 
graphic image of the handsomest mugg in the paper’s history and of 
course his season’s greeting. These are all forced to walk the plank 
as a package deal. 

In addition to this mad dispersal of loyalists, many one-shot con- 
tributors are liquidated as well. Many of them are not as hardy as 
we are. After seeing that their contribution has failed to appear they 
Metro’s Herb Crooker is author begin to be gnawed by doubts. If they can’t make Variety in an 
of a new book on yachting. “The anniversary issue, for free, how can they possibly be worth $1,750 a 
Boatman’s Almanac," being pub- ; week writing such gems as, “We’re a little late, so goodnight folks”? 


lished by Hermitage House for re- 
lease early in the spring. A fore- 


Bad News Gets Around, Don’t It? 

Suppose it gets around that Variety had rejected their prose? Maybe 


Look’s Upbeat Look 

Look mag showed a 16% gain in 
advertising revenue in 1954 over 
the previous year, with a total 
revenue of $26,667,514, president 
Gardner Cowles told Cowles Maga- 
zines’ annual stockholders meeting 
last week. He said Look was the 
only magazine in the major weekly 
field to show a gain in advertising 
pages and had the largest revenue 
gain of any major mag. 

Meeting elected Daniel D. Mich, 
v p. and editorial director of Look, 
to the mag’s board of directors, 
bringing the board strength up to 
eight, and also elected Robert 
Hume, formerly Look auditor, to 
the post of assistant treasurer. All 
officers of the mag were reelected. 


Curtis’ Bride Guide 

Curtis Publishing Co. is plan- 
ning a quarterly called Bride-To- 
Be, designed as a wedding and 
home-making guide. Mag will # be 
issued by a newly-formed Curtis 
subsidiary, Bride-To-Be Magazine 
Inc., with offices in Chicago and 
New York. 

Publisher will be Walter N. May, 
with Mrs. Marjorie Binford Woods 
and Mrs. Alice Thompson as co- 
publishers. Slated to start late in 
spring, mag will cost $1 a copy. 


Trump’s Omaha Shift 

Glenn Trump, Variety’s Omaha 
mugg, has been named amuse- 
ment editor and local columnist 
of the Omaha World-Herald. 

Trump moves over to the en- 
tertainment post from other duties 
on the paper, succeeding John Kof- 
fend. who has joined Time mag’s 
Los Angeles bureau. 


920,000 Arizona Highways 

Arizona Highways has a new 
name at the top of its board. Ern- 
est McFarland has supplanted 
Howard Pyle as Governor of Ar- 
izona. But Raymond Carlson is 
still editor and George M. Avey, 
art editor. 

Mag still gets an appropriation 
from the Arizona Highway Com- 
mission and still turns back lots 
more than it gets. Its Christmas 
numbers ran to 920.000 copies. 
Krueger of Milwaukee prints it by 
mirco-color lithography on offset 
enamel. 


Mozart Handbook 

With the 200th anniversary of 
Mozart’s birth coming up next 
>car, and every musical organiza- 
tion in the world already prepping 
for the event, “The Mozart Hand- 
book” (World; $7.50) comes along 
most appropriately. But it would 
be an invaluable guide anytime. 
Edited by Louis Biancolli, the N.Y. 
World Telegram ii Sun music 
critic, who did a yeoman as well 
as artistic job here, the 629-page 
tome is a stupendous one-volume 
jntro and comprehensive guide to 
*ne gifted man and his music, 
culled carefully from many authors 
and sources. 

Discussing Mozart’s life, times, 
mves. letters as well as his music, 
the tome includes closeups from 
contemporary sources, as well as 
elaborate discussion of his sym- 
phonies, concertos and operas 
* u ‘th background and story) by 
various experts, for a very inform 
a, ive, compact handbook. Bron. 


Thriving Scot Trade 

The book business is booming at 
Edinburgh, home of the Scot pub- 
lishing trade. All firms report a 
busy year, mainly due to large de- 
mand for books from West Africa, 
Malaya and the West Indies. 
These countries need books in 
their native lingos to help educate 
their people. 

One firm, Thomas Nelson & Sons, 
received an order for 800,000 cop- 
ies of two elementary arithmetic 
books. Nelson’s revised version of 
the Bible sold nearly 3,000.000 
copies in the past few years, while 
another Edinburgh-produced ser- 
ies, Chamber’s 20th-Century Dic- 
tionary, is into its fifth impression. 

CHATTER 

Profile on Victor Borge, by Robert 
W. Marks; in the February Esquire. 

Lucius Beebe has surveyed 
Nevada for the February issue of 
Holiday. 

First exhibition of American 
typography opened at Aberdeen 
(Scotland) Art Gallery. 

Jason Epstein, Timothy Seldes 
and Francis K. Price named senior 
editors at Doubleday 


word was contributed by Jimmy ^ they can keep the secret, but can their secretaries who typed the 

pieces and then looked in vain for them? These girls live on such 
scuttlebutt and it moves up to their bosses. So while the dejected 
and rejected contrib may keep his disappointment to himself, that 
doesn’t mean the whole world he lives in isn’t aware of his rejection. 

He begins to suspect that some new legal or extra-legal committee 
designed to harass their betters has put the finger on him He wonders 
if that Variety box, heralding that his contribution would be one of 
the brighter pieces of the anniversary, didn’t in turn tip off some 
snooper bent on ruining him. Such doubts are the vitamins of ulcers. 
It becomes a matter not of what are you eating but what’s eating you? 

“Sorry, your piece was crowded out in the rush of going to press,” 
might have served as a plausible explanation in the days when freedom 
was something nobody talked about because everybody had it. But 
that day passed out of the world years ago; not long after, in fact, 
Roosevelt and Churchill announced the Four Freedoms as their main 
object of the war against the Nazis. 

Even a literary rejection today can only mean some invisible censor 
has put his finger on the author and touted the editor off him. He 
has heard so much about what “one telephone call to the right person” 
can do, he is fearful some power has made the call in his case. He 
now remembers that one night, when a little high, he did say he 
favored a one-party government, but that was when the Republicans 
had everything anyway. Is he going to be turned in, now that the 
voters have indicated they prefer a two-party government? 

Oil For Troubled Waters 

Among my extra-curricular activities is to convince jitterbugs like 
this one that his rejection does not imply a lack of literary or even 
political merit. Variety has no blacklist. It wouldn’t know where to 
find it in all that overset if some schnook seht one in. Besides, the 
paper has always been allergic to people who make a living pushing 
other people around. 

More than 20 years ago, in an effort to keep from being crowded 
out of an anniversary issue myself, I actually bought and paid cash 
for an ad extolling my own column. I thought I was entitled to a 
trade discount, something agencies get. Fat chance. All or nothing 
at all was the gist of the front-office. Not even a 2% discount for 
cash would these leeches grant me. I complained, but nobody even 
looked up from his desk. They figured it was just a pressagent needled 
into beefing by his producers about a bad notice. 

The editor himself doesn’t get these repercussions any longer. Weeks 
before the anniversary number is actually on the presses, he has his 
bags packed, and the moment he gets the page proofs and okays them, 
he’ closes his bags and is off in a cloud of dust — destination unknown. 

He usually winds up in Florida or California. Those left behind 
must now play the role of a buffer state. While no one left behind 
w'ould go so far as to write, “We regret the editor is out of town, but 
your letter will be brought to his attention when he returns,” that’s 
only because those left behind realize that the same “time” which 
wounds all heels also heals all wounds. 

By the time the editor does return, worn out from a vacation in 
Miami or Palm Springs, the rejected contributors have got other 
things to worry about and the chances are the fire department has 
ordered their letters to be cleaned out of the aisles long before the 
editor comes home. 

The only way I know to beat this system is to have a tickler file. 
Then when the annual pitch comes from Variety to honor a coming 
anniversary number with your priceless prose, you can pull out last 
year's rejection and send it in again. 

« One guy I know made it this way on his third try. The editor, 
possibly fearing a new contribution might be worse than the old one, 
settled for the dog-eared copy. At least this one, he reasoned, had 
stood the test of time. 

It’s a comforting thought and I leave it with all those who feel that 
Variety is a greater enigma than the British Admiralty. 


Durante. 

Bill Ornstein, Metro homeoffice 
trade contact, has two stories cur- 
rent, “Miracle at Moshulu.” in the 
U. of Kansas City Review, winter 
issue, and “My Pal, Whitey,” in 
the American Jewish Times Out- 
look for January. 

U. of Nebraska football coach 
Bill Glassford, who led his team to 
the Orange Bowl this year after 
his players threatened to revolt if 
he was not fired last winter, is 
authoring a book, “Dear Coach,” to 
be published next summer. 

L. Franklin Heald has been 
named director of magazines for 
the American Alumni Council. In 
this capacity, he will coordinate 
the activities of 540 college and 
university alumni publications, re- 
placing Corgin Gwaltney of the 
Johns Hopkins. Magazine July 1. 

Paul K. Lapolla, for the past 
eight years with Doubleday & Co. 
as special projects editor and a 
member of the trade editorial de- 
partment, joins Random House 
Feb. 1 as a member of the editorial 
staff. He’ll concentrate on the de- 
velopment of basic non-fiction 
titles. 

A newsman’s closeup of former 
N.Y. Gov. Thomas E. DeTvey is be- 
ing readied by Congressman Leo 
W. O’Brien, of Albany, ex-head of 
the International News Service 
bureau at the Capitol and present 
WPTR-WRGB-TV commentator, 
for a two-installment printing in 
Collier’s during March. , 

A new syndication service, built 
primarily around entertainment 
news, has been started. First item 
to go out was a video column to 
500 newspapers called “This Week 
In TV,” scribbled by outfit’s boss. 
Chet Whitehorn. Other services 
expected to follow will be “Quotes 
of the Day” and “Lighter Side of 
the News.” 

Profile of Roy Rogers and Dale 
Evans, titled “Carry Christianity 
On Your Sleeve,” penned by Kay 
Campbell, skedded for March is- 
sue of Christian Herald. Piece is 
timed to tie-in with release of 
her next book, “My Spiritual Di- 
ary,” to be published by Revell. 
Next Hollywoodite to be profiled 
for same magazine by same writer 
is Walt Disney. 

Rev. James M. Gillis, 78-year- 
old Paulist Father, longtime speak- 
er on NBC’s “The Catholic Hour” 
and former editor of The Catholic 
World, last w r eek wrote “30” to 
“Sursum Corda,” a column which 
he had turned out for Catholic 
papers since Oct. 22, 1928. The 
final commentary was his 1.638th. 
He never missed a week, despite 
two serious illnesses. 

Edward M. Waters’ biog of Vic- 
tor Herbert will be published by 
MacMillan next April. It’s an 


Gertrude Brassard, American 
Home’s merchandise editor, hos- $8.50 item. A Macmillan import, 

... . • • Ll .V 4 : ^ M La “ A U /1 fliunncc 


pitalized with broken hip. 

Jean Homm, formerly food edi- 
tor Farm Journal, now off-camera 
editor with Arlene Francis’ telly 
show. 

Disk promoter Buddy Basch to 
pen the record review column for 
Magazine House’s recently ac- 
quired Quick mag. 

A novelette about Hollywood, 
“The Man Who Laughed Too 
Much,” by screenw'riter Lester 
Cohen, is the lead feature in the 
February Esquire. 

Jack W. Robertson, former show 


publication will be "Alec Guiness 
(An Illustrated Study of His Work 
for Stage and Screen)” by Ken- 
neth Tynan. Another overseas 
publication via Macmillan is “Eng- 
lish Wits” from Pope and Dr. 
Johnson to Beerbohm and Shaw, 
edited by Leonard Russell. 

Mexico is one of Latin America’s 
top publishing countries with an 
annual output of 1,928 various 
kinds of periodicals, according to 
the Mexican postal service, with 
which they are all registered for 
secondclass mail rights. The pe- 


nuvn • nvi/v* ■ — ... . . j . * •« 

scribe and now editor of Evening j riodicals include 177 daily new s- 
New's, Glasgow, named chairman j papers, 400 weeklies and /Do 


Art Buchwald, Et AI. 

Art Buchwald’s Paris” (Little, 

Brown; $3.75) is Paris on the half- 
It defies putting down. 

* ou ve read it all, or most all, 
sporadically in the Paris edition 
f the N.Y. Herald Tribune and 
reprinted a week or so later in 
l. 10 N.Y. parent edition in New 

'ork. but concentrated into some. «... — - , , , , - , ... . . , 

pages it is high-voltage. French ; the Post a piece on Maurice Evans. . judge of the civil registry in 

I • . ’ I * _ . . 1. 1 _ /■"* .4 .. Annilnl nl W linhl *1 


of West of Scotland district of Brit- 
ish Newspaper Press Fund. 

Maurice Zolotovv’s profile on 
George Abbott to appear in the 


monthlies. And there is the freak 
weekly newspaper, El Triburon 
(The Shark), of which but one copy 
at a time is issued. It is a social 


i Saturday Evening Post issue out j pass around, hand written in pen 
Jan. 25. Zolotow has also just sold I and ink, by Rodolfo Sarmiento, a 


postcard, vintage-proof in printer’s 
lnt s it’s a constantly nostalgic re- 


Charles N. Heckelmann. yeepee ' Puebla City, capital of I uebla 
and editor of Popular Library, 1 state. 


February HOLIDAY Magazine 

salutes 



THE HOLY LAND TODAY 

The beautiful Land of the Bible 
comes to life as Joan Comay, wife 
of Israel’s ambassador to Canada, 
tells her dramatic story of the re- 
birth of Israel. 

Here is a Holiday report that 
answers all your questions about 
the homes, language, religion, 
business and people of Israel to- 
day. It’s a vividly written, spec- 
tacularly illustrated article that 
you’ll want to read and keep! 



74 


CHATTER 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Broadway 


Larry Gore handling the pub- 
lic relations chores for the 11th 
Annual National Antiques Show 
slated for Madison Square Garden 
week of March 7. 

Henri Gine, personal manager of 
Myron Cohen, was inadvertently 
scratched from the Anniversary 
Edition advertisement of the lat- 
ter. Scuse, please. 

Norman S. Nadel, theatre editor 
of the Columbus (O.) Citizen, cur- 
rently in N.Y. covering plays in 
preparation for his show train the- 
atre party in March. 

Pidgie Jamieson, who has ap- 
peared on Broadway and in some 
25 tele shows, celebrated her 10th 
birthday with a party at the Pierre* 
Guests included juve friends from 
stage, tele and radio. 

Sol Hurok threw a supper part* 
at the St. Regis Roof last Friday 
night (7), after the Met Opera per- 
formance of “The Masked Ball,’ 
in honor of Marian Anderson, who 
made her Met debut in the opera 
that night. 

Roberta Peters, Met Opera so- 
prano, became engaged last week- 
end to Bertram Fields, exec di- 
rector of the Hertfield hotel chain. 
Singer was formerly married, 


Meanwhile, Marianela will star in 
a film based on the life of Antonia 
Merce “La Argentina.” 

Roberto Rossellini dashing be- 
tween Barcelona (where Ingrid 
Bergman completed her last per- 
formance of “Joan of Arc” Jan. 3 
at the Teatro Liceo) and Madrid. 
He held confabs with Brazilian pro- 
ducer Fernando Barros and actor 
Alberto Ruschel about two films 
he wants to make with them. “Re- 
bellion in Rio Grande,” is to be 
made in Brazil while the other will 
be done in Portugal, featuring 
Amelia Rodriguez. Both will star 
Ruschel. 


London 


Paris 

By Gene Moskowitz 

(28 Rue Hiichette; Odeon 49 44) 

Year’s film grosses were split so 
that 32% went to firstruns and 
68% to nabes. 

Maria Casares joins the Theatre 
National Populaire this month, to 
play in “Macbeth” opposite Jean 
Vilar. 

Imminent release of the Sacha 
Guitry epic, “Napoleon," probably 
will hold up the release of the U.S. 
pic. “Desiree” (20th ». 

Jean Poiret and Muchel Ser- 


rault writing a musical revue to 
though briefly, to Met baritone 1 enter Bruno Coquatrix’s Theatre 
Robert Merrill. 

The Bohemians, Gotham musi- 
cians club, honoring Dame Myra 
Hess, the British pianist, at a din- 
ner at the Plaza Jan. 30. Dinner 
is a benefit for the Musicians 
Foundation, which aids the needy 
in the music field. 


Dorothy Kirsten in from the 
Coast on Monday (10) to rejoin the 
Met Opera for balance of the sea- 
son. She sings in a gala “Traviata” 
Sunday <16>, with Jan Peerce and 
Robert Merrill, for benefit of the 
West Side Institutional Synagog. 

Huntington Hartford, theatre 
owner and producer, and his 
actress-wife, Marjorie Steele, in 
from Britain today (Wed.) on the 
Queen Elizabeth. Also arriving are 
actress Geraldine Brooks, violinist 
Yehudi Menuhin and pianist 
Witold Malcuzynski. 

Max Fellerman, veepee and gen- 
eral manager of Lopert Films, left 
for the Coast Monday (10) on a 
product looksee. Lopert firm now 
handles operation of both the 
Astor and Victoria Theatres, and 
Fellerman will try to line up new' 
product for both houses during 
liis 10-day stay in Hollywood. He 
will be accompanied by Mrs. 
Fellerman. 


Miami Beach 


Caumartin next season 

Joe Warfield, U.S. thesp, back 
after a sojourn in Germany making 
Franco-German pic, “Escale A 
Orly” (Stopover At Orly). 

Sacha Guitry’s next big pic, “Si 


British ventriloquist Arthur 
Worsley planes to N.Y. this week 
to do a guest spot on Ed Sullivan’s 
"Toast of Town” next Sunday (16). 

Barry Gray in town on a two- 
week vacation during which time 
he is writing news features on the 
development of commercial tv in 
Britain. 

Sidney L. Bernstein appointed 
chairman of Variety Theatres Con- 
solidated. succeeding Reginald C. 
Bromhead who retired at the end 
of .1954. 

“Three, Two, One, Zero,” the 
NBC documentary film written and 
produced by Henry Salomon, is to 
have its second airing on BBC-TV 
tomorrow (Thurs.). 

A. E. Matthews, vet British film 
and legit actor, taking the chair at 
a Foyles Literary Luncheon Friday 
(14) to celebrate the publication of 
Sir Mortimer Wheeler’s “Still Dig- 
ging.” 

The Stewart Granger-Jean Sim- 
mons starrer, which Mike Franko- 
vitch is making for Columbia re- 
lease, is to be renamed “Rebound.” 
It was originally entitled “Dead- 
lock." 

Elizabeth Lennon, Cyril Wells 
and Jeffrey Lenner with the Char- 
mony Three and the Billy George 
Trio left last week for a two- 
month tour of the middle east to 
entertain British troops. 

Ava Gardner presented with an 
engraved silver salver by Monta- 
gue C. Morton, United Artists 


month before its date at the Stage 
Opera in Ankara. 

Munsin Ertugrul will do “Tea- 
house of the August Moon” if he 
can get Munir Ozkul and Haldun 
Dormen for leads. 

Krinio Papa and Misuri Spiro, 
two leading players of the Greek 
Theatre in from Athens, to do 
scenes from old Greek classics. 

Italian tele dancer Maritza 
Donaatz pacted by legit comedi- 
enne Toto Karaca to choreograph 
all the revues at the Maksim 
where latter stars in her own pro- 
ductions. 


Hollywood 


Edward Prinz seriously 111 in St 
Vincent’s. 


George Pal 
minor surgery. 


hospitalized for 


Minneapolis 


By Les Rees 

Willie Restum’s “Kats” at St. 

Paul Flame. 

Russ Carlyle played one-nighter 
at Prom Ballroom. 

The Diplomats holding over at at Shrine Auditorium 


James Stewarts off on two-month 
tour of the Orient. 

Adolph Zukor celebrated 82d 
birthday last Friday (7). 

Jack Oliphant, British flack, in 
from London to join wife Julie and 
daughter. 

Motion Picture Relief Fund sold 
113,000 Christmas cards, an all- 
time high. 

John H. Heard to Denmark for 
indie production, “Springtime in 
Copenhagen.” 

David Brown back at 20th-Fox 
after two weeks of confabs with 
N. Y. story editor. 

Irving Briskin production chair- 
man for Jerusalem Anni Festival 


Paris Nous Etait Conte” (If Paris 


4 aa a • i i a r i • i muiiUKiUh uu vvvv/i v • vv v vt»» 

100 stars in the cast, fiom big loles , memora te her round-world trip to 


By Lary Kolloway 

Jackie Miles opening Jan. 12 at 
the Nautilus Hotel. 

Celeste Holm set to follow Kay 
Thompson into the Balmoral Hotel 
on Jan. 22. 

Walter Winchell at the Roney 
Plaza for three weeks of sun and 
putting-green practice. 

Maria Riva will head up the 
Cerebral Palsy fund-raising tele- 
thon from Miami Beach auditorium 
Jan. 22. 

Harold Gardner resigned as pub- 
licity director for the new Fontain- 
bleau; he leaves at end of month 
to open his own flackery. 

Ruth Cosgrove remained in town 
while husband Milton Berle headed 
for his tv chore in N.Y.; he returns 
immediately after the telecast. 

Colgate Comedy Hour to eman- 
ate from the Fontainebleau on Jan. 
16 with Jack Carter. Federico Hey 
and Pilar Gomez featured. Novelty 
act will be the water ballet from 
Cyress Gardens, Fla. 

Norman Schuyler, who had shut- 
tered his Beachcomber for several 
weeks, changed his mind. The 
spot reopens this week with a line- 
up that includes Lenny Kent, the 
NovElites, Kaye Ballard and the 
Winged Victory Chorus. 


to bit parts. 

Spyros Skouras being feted here 
by French exhibs under hosting of 
Jean Heilman, owner of the Rex 
where “The Robe” broke all exist- 
ing records. • 

Jean-Louis Barrault will add 
Christopher Fry’s “Sleep of Pris- 
oners” to the rep of his company 
next month. French version is by 
Morvan Lebesque. 

Jean Anouilh now has three suc- 
cessful legiters here with longrun 
“L’Alouette” (The Lark), newcomer 
“Cecile” and reprise of his 1941 
“Le Rendezvous De Senlis.” 

Andre Malraux’s “La Condition 
Humaine,” now playing as a legiter 
here, in an adaption by Thierry 
Maulnier, may be transcribed for 
the U.S. stage by Robert Sher- 
wood. 

Three Gallic plx to rep France 
at the Punta del Este Film Fest in 
Uruguay Jan. 14-31 are “Le Rouge 
Et Le Noir,” “J’Avais Sept Filles” 
(with Maurice Chevalier) and “Ali 
Baba,” with Femandel. 

Henry Sherek feting Joan Green- 
wood to a week of theatregoing 
here before she opens in his next 
production in London; Ladislas 
Fodor’s “The Moon and the Chim- 
ney.” It is her seventh play for 
Sherek. 

Dick Edwards, owner of the 
Ringside nitery, which gave jazz 
awards to pianist Lil Armstrong 
and Martial Solal, both now’ at his 
club, awarded special kudo for in- 
ternational jazz prowess to Lionel 
Hampton. 

Lionel Hampton will do a pic 
stint in Hamburg. Then he is set 
for a concert in Monte Carlo, then 
heads for a two-week tour of Israel 
at the request of the ministry of 
the interior. He is donating his 
services free to Israel. 

Raymond Rouleau will direct a 
film version of the current legiter, 
“Les Sorcieres De Salem” (The 
Witches of Salem), adapted by 
Marcel Ayme from the Arthur Mil- 
ler play, “Crucible.” Stars of 
stageshow, Yves Montand and Si- 
mone Signoret, will star in the pic 
with Ayme repeating on the script. 


bally “Barefoot Contessa.’ 

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Fer- 
rer, whose press reception at- 
tracted a capacity turnout of 
scribes, attended the preem of 
“The Bridges at Toko-Ri” at the 
Odeon, Leicester Square last 
Thursday (6). , 


Madrid 


By Ramsay Ames 

( Castellano Hilton; 37-22-00) 

Director Luis Lucia’s next film 
will be “La Lupa” (The Magnify- 
ing Glass), starring Jose Isbert. 

Italy’s Titanus Films and 
Spain’s Marco ditto, have reached 
an agreement to coproduce “Goya.” 
Marco is the company now produc- 
ing “La Ley del Silcncio” in Bar- 
celona. 

Dolores del Rio doing the rounds 
of Christmas parties incognito in 
Sevilla. She leaves soon for Mexi- 
co, having completed her “Scnora 
Ama.” under the direction of Julio 
Bracho. 

Susana Canales will make one 
more film here before leaving for 
Mexico. Produced by Altamira 
Films, and directed by Rovira Bclc- 
ta, “Familia Provisional” goes be- 
fore the cameras early in January 
if Susana’s “Un Hada en la Ciu- 
dad” has wound up. 

Before leaving for Puerto Rico, 
Marianela de Montljo’s dance com- 
pany will play a second time at 
the Castellana-Hilton’s Rendez- 
vous. Opening date is Feb. 7. 


India 

Mysore state government ex- 
empted all circus, drama and folk 
dance performances from the en- 
tertainment tax. 

East Pakistan is building its own 
studio at Chittagong for production 
of films in Bengali because East 
Pakistan natives predominantly 
speak Bengali. 

Indian Parliament voted for the 
government plan to ban all unde- 
sirable films. Minister for In- 
formation and Broadcasting indi- 
cated the possibility of having one 
uniform code for censoring both 
Indian and foreign films. 

Madras government regularizing 
the Cinematograph Act to compel 
exhibitors to screen “approved” 
films produced by India govern- 
ment’s film division. Many exhibi- 
tors volunteered to screen ap- 
proved these shorts since patrons 
want them before regular pro- 
grams. 

Francois Di Dio In Bombay to 
make a documentary on Indian 
Life. It is likely the French pro- 
ducer will conclude coproduction 
deal with Indian film companies. 

Swiss producer Dr. Erich Til- 
genkamp also in Bombay to spend 
seven weeks shooting scenes for 
television. 


Pittsburgh 

By Hal V. Cohen 

Florence Sando returning to 
Playhouse boards for role in “The 
Women.” 

Joe Feldmans called to N. Y. by 
sudden death of her sister, Mrs. 
Helen Loeb. 

Johnny Kirby’s option at Copa 
City in Miami Beach picked up 
for two more weeks. 

^ John Ragin, Tech and Playhouse 
actor, inducted into the Army from 
his home in Newark. 

WiRiam Wymetal staging Fort 
Worth and Dallas Opera Assn, pro- 
duction of "Carmen.” 

Peter Lind Hayes and Mary 
Healy in town for couple of fash- 
ion shows at Gimbels. 

Lenny Litman, owner of the 
Copa, and his wife celebrated their 
Seventh wedding anni. 

Hilda Zaiden and Val Stanton, 
who dance in Playhouse musicals, 
announced their engagement. 

Kay Vernon, currently at An- 
kara, will go back to that room 
again for another two weeks Jan. 
31. 

Bill Goldie, who owned Blue 
Ridge Inn for 20 years, bought 
Broadway Grille and Lounge in 
Dormont. 

Georgie Shaw, who just played 
Vogue Terrace with the Four Lads, 
booked for return date at Copa 
week of Feb. 28. 


Hotel Radisson Flame Room. 

Edyth Bush Little Theatre giv- 
ing “Nothing But the Truth” a 
three-week run. 

Patty McGovern of „ “Honey 
Dreamers” in from N.Y. to visit 
parents and brother. 

Star Playhouse presenting “Fa- 
ther of Bride” Jan. 12-23, with 
“Death of a Salesman” scheduled 
to follow Jan. 26-Feb. 6. 

Harry Shapiro back with “Sail- 
or’s Delight” at Lyceum. Pro- 
ducers Richard Aldrich and Rich- 
ard Myers flew in from N.Y. to 
give it o.o. 

“Tea and Sympathy,” starring 
Deborah Kerr, pencilled into Ly- 
ceum week of Feb. 21 as third of 
Theatre Guild’s promised seven 
subscription offerings. 


Scotland 


By Gordon Irving 

(Glasgow; Kelvin 1590) 

“South Pacific” teed off for sea- 
son at Empire Theatre, Edinburgh. 

Hyman Zahl, Fosters’ Agencv 
tenpercenter, to Scotland to look 
at shows. 

“Love from Judy,” English mu- 
sical, set for His Majesty’s Thea- 
tre, Aberdeen. Jan. 17. 

Robert Wilson, Scdt singer, 
clicking big in Aberdeen with new 
tune, “Here’s To The Gordons.” 

Zahoor, Indian pole acrobat, into 
circus at Waverley Market. Edin- 
burgh, after six-month stint in 
Spain. 


John Ericson, in cast of “Bad 
Day at Black Rock,” to make 12- 
city bally tour for pic. 

Cecil B. DeMille will have a 
Long Beach (Calif.) junior high 
school named after him. 

Hollywood Foreign Correspond- 
ents Assn, will hold annual 
Golden Glove Awards Jan. 19. 

Jessie Wadsworth, Hollywood’s 
first femme agent, celebrates 30th 
anni in the business Jan. 23. 

Murray Spivack resigned after 
17 years at 20th-Fox to enter free- 
lance music field as music-mixer. 

Jack H. Harris, Exploitation Pro- 
ductions, Inc., veepee, arrives to- 
morrow’ from Philly headquarters 
to set up Frisco and L.A. distrib. 

Westmore hairdressing clan is 
now eight, with Barbara, youngest 
in family, assigned to Joan Craw- 
ford for “Female On the Beach.” 

Howard Christie and Ted Sher- 
deman, producer and writer, re- 
spectively. on Universal’s "Away 
All Boats.” to Washington for talks 
anent Navy cooperation. 

Former 20th-Fox costume de- 
signer Sascha Brastoff, who worked 
at New York’s Sculpture Center 
since last summer on a group of 
steel sculpture pieces, will exhibit 
them starting Jan. 18 in West Los 
Angeles at his galleries. 


Memphis 


Berlin 

By Hans Hoehn 

Local preem of “On The Water- 
front” (Col) postponed until early 
this month. 

Recent checkup here showed 
that 54 out of 251 West Berlin cin- 
emas have been equipped for 
C’Scope pix. 

There were 71,606 tele set own- 
ers registered in West Germany as 
of last month. One year ago there 
were only 9.021. 

“Neue Zeitung,” American-Ger- 
man language newspaper in Berlin, 
will close shop with its Jan. 31 is- 
sue. A committee of its staffers 
formed to discuss taking over pa- 
per. 

Peter Schaeffers and Aldo V. 
Pinelli returned from Stockholm, 
where they signed a pact for a 
German - Swedish coproduction, 
tentatively titled “Schwedenma- 
edel” (Swedish Girl). 


By Matty Brescia 

Don Reid and his crew' to Pea- 
body’s Skyway for two weeks. 

Notre Dame Glee Club booked 
for one-nighter Jan. 30 under 
Christian Brothers College direc- 
tion. 

Larry Higgins, erstwhile deejay 
here, now spinning platters for top 
niteries over WFTL, Ft. Lauder- 
dale, Fla. 

Anna Russell skedded for a one- 
night concert at City Auditorium 
(28> under Ike Meyers’ Arts Ap- 
preciation banner. 


Santiago 


Peters Sisters booked into the 
Tap Room. 

Oscar Brooks, Mexican film pro- 
ducer, stopped off enroute from 
Buenos Aires. 

Catholic Action group’s censor- 
ship rating of films placed “Miss 
Sadie Thompson” (Col) in the low- 
est category as a “very inconven- 
ient, immoral” film. 


Guest Irishmen 


Continued from page 2 


Istanbul 

By Ozan Sungur 

(Arnavutkoy, Sucubahce 5; 35722) 

Hans Wilt orch at the Nor- 
mandia. 

Silvana Pampanini arrived here 
late in December. 

Spanish singer Gloria Marlova 
at the Lido nitery. 

Italian pianist Aldo Ciccolini off 
for Rome after concerts in Ankara, 
Izmir and here. 

“Seven Year Itch” is ngw' in Its 
third month. American comedy 
hit is at the Kucuk Sahne. 

American company of "Porgy 
and Bess” expected here early this 


caster really will give the Ameri- 
can music public a treat and bona 
fide Irish music an outing with 
some genuine beauties like “The 
Coulin” or “The Blackbird” or 
“Savourneen Deelish,” or those 
ancient airs of which Thomas 
Moore thought so much he tried to 
preserve them by writing .such 
splendid verses to fit the melodies. 

That most hauntingly beautiful 
of all Irish airs known as “Danny 
Boy” or, more formally, as “Would 
God I Were The Tender Apple 
Blossom” is the achingly lovely 
lament of Emer, an Irish queen, for 
her lover, Cuchullain. Such real 
Irish music has been sung and 
cherished by the Irish for centu- 
ries, as any Irishman will attest. 

How did Dimitri Tiomkin get in 
on this subject of Dublin drop- 
beat? Well, in tracing primeval 
Greek airs in preparing the score 
for Warner Bros.’ “Helen of Troy,” 
I eased in a bit of etude on the 
history of native music. Very 
enlightening. I even found out 
why so many Uruguayans have 
tired feet. Their national anthem, 
and they always stand, has seventy 
stanzas. 


Chicago 

Christine Nelson and hubby 
Louis Quinn in from the Coast. 

Blue Angel’s Jean Farulli off 
to the Caribbean on the prowl for 
new calypso talent. 

Balaban & Katz prexy John Bala- 
ban back at helm after spending 
holidays in Palm Springs. 

George Jessel, currently at the 
Chez Paree, emceed TV Guide’s 
annual awards telecast via WBKB 
Monday (10). 

Dave Garroway brought in by 
General Motors to emcee the firm’s 
Auto Show telecast Saturday (8) 
over WGN-TV. 


Portland, Ore. 

By Ray Feves 

“Hamlet” is packing Oiimansky’s 
Magic Ring Theatre. 

Jack Collins and Howard Finch 
reopened the Clover Club, Jan. 8. 
The Cooper Sisters, Virginia No- 
lan and George Arnold orch in 
for two frames. 

Frank Sennes’ Revue, “A Nite 
in Paris” with Tippy & Cobina, 
Belles & Bows with Skeets Min- 
ton & Jimmy Morton, Bobbie 
Clark, Sing Lee Sing Family and 
Dorothy Dorben Dancers at 
Amato’s Supper Club for three 
stanzas. The Marie Wilson Show 
just completed two weeks there. 


Dallas 

By Bill Barker 

Jose Iturbi guest-starring with 
Dallas Symphony Orch. 

Joanne Gilbert into Baker 
Hotel’s Mural Room for two 
weeks. 

Dublin Players drew five ca- 
pacity houses at Courtyard The- 
atre, with $3.30 top. 

Coauthors Jerome Lawrence and 
Robert E. Lee here for preem of 
their new drama, “Inherit the 
Wind.” at Margo Jones’ The- 
atre ’55. 


Ottawa 

Joe Saxe, proprietor of the Gat- 
ineau Club, bought the Canada 
Life Bldg., for $205,000. Block is 
a business section store and office 
bldg. 

Canadians spent $8.30 per capita 
on film entertainment in 1954, 
nine cents per person more than 
the previous year, according to the 
federal bureau of statistics. 

A. D. Dunton, Canadian Broad- 
casting Corp. chief, faced one of 
CBC’s sternest knuckle-rappers. 
Bob Blackburn, Evening Citizen 
tele critic, on the radio show, 
Press Conference, CBC’s Dominion 
web. 



75 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


Obituaries 


Continued from page U 


ducers on the road. He . staged 
strawhat companies in vacation 
shows at Whitley Bay and Ramsey, 
Isle of Man. During World War 
II he was with the Royal Air Force 
Gang Show. 

Dodd was in show biz since 1912, 
when he debuted at the Theatre 
Royal, Birmingham, Eng. 

Surviving are his wife, actress 
Babs Gordon, and daughter Fay 
Lenore, leading lady of London 
Palladium shows. . Bijou Gordon, 
now working in tv in Toronto, 
Canada, is a sister-in-la wr. 

THOMAS C. KEMP 

Thomas C. Kemp, 63, drama 
critic of the Birmingham, Eng., 
Post since 1935, died Jan. 3. He 
was also chairman of the Crescent 
Theatre, Birmingham, and wrote 
several plays for the group, includ- 
ing “Harvest of Faith,” “The Wall” 
and “Supremacy.” < 

Kemp wrote such books as "The 
Birmingham Repertory Theatre,” 
“The Playhouse and the Man” and 
“The Stratford Festival; a History 
of the Shakespeare Memorial 
Theatre.” He also was drama and 
film critic for the Midland Region 
of the BBC. 

ELMER PEARSON 

Elmer Pearson, 70, former vice- 
president and general manager of 


Sock and Buskin, into a major cam- 
pus activity. 

Brown wrote numerous pam- 
phlets and newspaper and maga- 
zine articles on the theatre as well 
as several books. He was a cor- 
porate member of the American 
National Theatre and Academy. 

HORACE A. VACHELL 

Horace A. Vachell, 93, novelist 
and playwright, died Jan. 10 in 
Bath, Eng. One of the most proli- 
fic writers in English literature, he 
had his 100th and last book, 
“Quests,” a volume of remini- 
scenes, published last year. 

Four of Vachell’s plays were pro- 
duced on Broadway, none of which 
was a hit. Amonfc them was “The 
Lodger,” based on a short story by 
Mrs. Belloc Lowndes, presented in 
1917, at Maxine Elliott’s Theatre, 
with Lionel Atwill in the title role. 

BABE WELLINGTON 

Babe Wellington, 57, dancer who 
trouped with Eddie Cantor and 
Jimmie Durante, among others, 
died in New York Dec. 28 after a 
three-month illness. After appear- 
ing as a child actress with silent 
screen star John Bunny, she started 
a dancing career with Jerry Cal- 
lahan in a turn known as The 
Dancing Kellers. 

Miss Wellington, who toured the 



Astor Pictures Corporation mourns the passing 
of our devoted friend end associate 

BERNARD RUBIN 

our Cleveland franchise distributor for nine years. 

R. M. Savin! 
President 


the Pathe Film Exchange in New 
York, died Dec. 30 of a heart ail- 
ment in Westport, Conn. He had 
been in the motion picture indus- 
try for more than 40 years, hold- 
ing sales executive positions with 
Vitagraph, Lubin, Universal, First 
National and the Selig Essanay 
film companies. 

At one time Pearson was first 
v.p. of Pattie-Bray productions, 
and later was with the Bray Stu- 
dios and Video Varieties. 

Surviving are his wife, two 
brothers and two sisters. 

WALTER GREENOUGH 

Walter Greenough, 66, retired 
New Y’ork actor, director and pro- 
ducer, died Jan. 7 in Montclair, 
N.J., after a long illness. Born in 
Brooklyn, he was most active on 
Broadway in the late 20’s and early 
30's with such plays as “The Jade 
God," “The Guinea Pig,” “A 
Ledge,” “Lolly” and “The Vene- 
tian Glass Hat.” 

In the summer of 1934 Green- 
ough was operator of a remodeled 
ferryboat as a showboat, the Ven- 
ture, at Long Island summer re- 
sorts. He also composed a number 
of pop songs. 

Three sisters survive. 

CLYDE BRUCKMAN 

Clyde Bruckman, 60, silent pic- 
ture writer and director, shot and 


major vaude circuits and worked 
in burlesque, is survived by two 
sisters and two brothers. 

JACK kTlEONARD 

Jack K. Leonard, 42, longtime 
screen writer, died of cirrhosis of 
the liver Jan. 9 in Hollywood. A 
member of the Screen Writers 
Guild since 1947, he recently 
scripted “The Plains” for Univer- 
sal-International. 

Leonard also collabed on Pine- 
Thomas’ “Love is a Weapon.” 
Among his other writing credits 
were “Man in the Dark” tCol) and 
"Cry of the Hunted” (M-G). 

His wife and three children sur- 
vive. 

LEO BRODE 

Leo Brode, 65, vet legit sign 
painter, died Jan. 1 in Astoria, 
Queens, N.Y. He turned out more 
than 18.000 signs since entering 
that field in 1910. Shows on which 
he worked included "Oklahoma,” 
“Life With Father,” “The Liar,”* 
“The Barrier,” “An Enemy of the 
People,” “Romeo and Juliet,” 
“Flahooley,” and “South Pacific.” 

Wife, three sons, three brothers 
and two sisters survive. 

WARREN L. LAWSON 

Warren L. (Doc) Lawson, 51, or- 
ganist who was credited with in- 
troducing the electric organ as 


Th# Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, Inc. IAMPA), 
deeply mourns the passing of our devoted friendl and charter member 

ELMER PEARSON 

who gave so much to the growth of the motion picture industry. 


killed himself, Jan. 4, in Santa 
Monica, Cal., in a fit of despond- 
ency. During the early days of 
motion pictures, he worked with 
such comedians as Harold Lloyd, 
Buster Keaton and W. C. Fields, 
and more recently had been a 
writer at Columbia. 

He asked Santa Monica police, 
in a note found on body, to de- 
liver his body to L. A. County 
Medical Assn., for experimenta- 
tion. His wife survives. 

NINA W. FINESINGER 

Mrs. Nina Wulfe Finesinger, 54, 
concert violinist and former mem- 
ber of the Los Angeles Philhar- 
monic Orchestra, died Jan. 8 in 
Boston. She had studied with 
Leopold Auer, Carl Flesh, Willy 
Hess and Jaques Thibaud. 

Mrs. Finesinger was one of the 
first women to play in a major 
symphony orchestra in this coun- 
try. In recent years she organized 
musical programs presented for 
the patients at Massachusetts Gen- 
eral Hospital. 

PROF. BENJAMIN BROWN 

Prof. Benjamin W. Brown, 57, 
m rector of dramatic productions at 
Brown U. since 1939, died Jan. 7 
in Providence, R.I. He was instru- 
mental in building Brown’s undcr- 
8i actuate dramatic organization, 


background music for horse shows, 
died of a heart attack Dec. 28 in 
Bloomfield, Iowa. A former organ- 
ist for the Paramount Theatre, Des 
Moines, he played for some 70 
horse shows annually in addition 
to recitals at fairs "and other 
events. 

Surviving are his wdfe and two 
sons. Also surviving are two sons 
by a former marriage. 

¥ 

ALLAN YOUNG 

Allan Young (Allan Motters- 
head», 40. vaude musician, died 
Jan. 1 in Glasgow. He was appear- 
ing with his Allan Young Trio 
(himself, Derek New all and Larry 
Davis) at the Empress Theatre, 
Glasgow, and had taken part in 
previous night’s shows. 

Young led his act, instrumental 
and vocal, at the electric organ, 
and had toured it around most Eng- 
lish and Scot vauderies. He was 
a native of Blackpool, Eng. 

HERB COOK 

Herb Cook, 59, pianist, singer, 
composed, died Dec. 31 in Kansas 
City, Mo. Cause of death was not 
immediately determined, but at- 
tempts to resuscitate him failed 
after he collapsed and became un- 
conscious that morning. 

Cook was a musician in the mid- 
west area for 30 years, at one 






time being with the Olsen & John- 
son show and also with the Gage 
Smith band. He was one of the 
three authors of "Three Little 
Words,” and composed a number 
of other songs. 

Wife and three children survive. 

MONTY VANE-TEMPEST 

Monty Vane-Tempest, 62, actor 
with Court Players at Crewe, Eng., 
died in that town Dec. 22 after 
several weeks’ illness. He was a 
w.k. thesper in stock, and was the 
husband of actress Luise Ralston. 
He entered the theatre alter study- 
ing medicine at Leeds U. 

Apart from his London appear- 
ances, Vane-Tempest toured the 
U.S. and Canada at one time. 

LOUIS HEMRICH 

Louis (Props) Hemrich, 86, a 
property man in Chicago theatres 
for nearly 57 years, died Jan. 4 in 
that city. One of the oldest mem- 
bers of the International Alliance 
of Theatrical Stage Employees, he 
began his backstage career in 
1890 and retired in 1947. He 
worked at the now-defunct Powers 
and Illinois Theatres and wound 
up his career at the Blackstone. 

Son survives. 

SAM FLEISCHMAN 

Sam Fleischman, tot more than 
50 years violinist and musical di- 
rector in the Yiddish theatres of 
Canada and New York, died Dec. 
25 in N.Y. In the course of his 
career he toured with such Yiddish 
legit stars as Boris Thomashefsky 
and Jacob P. Adler. More recently 
he had operated a mu^ic studio. 

Surviving are his wife, four sons 
and two daughters. 

DAVE ALLEN 

Dave Allen, 68, founder and first 
manager of Central Casting Corp. 
in Hollywood, died Jan. 3 in that 
city. A former New York theatre 
pianist, he moved to Hollywood 
where in 1926 he established Cen- 
tral Casting, which handles the 
employment of film extras. 

Allen left the agency in 1935 to 
join Columbia Pictures. 

WILLIAM G. ALBERS 

William G. Albers, 75, a percus- 
sion instrument player with the 
St. Louis symph orch for 27 years 
and more recently a music teacher, 
died of a stroke Jan. 2. One of 
the few remaining zither players 
in the St. Louis area, he retired 
from the symph orch about 10 
years ago to teach zither playing. 

His wife and son survive. 

ALFRED E. DRAKE 

Alfred E. Drake, 80, violinist 
and former vice president of the 
National Assn, for American Com- 
posers and Conductors, and a for- 
mer president of the MacDowell 
Club, died Dec. 31 in New York. 
For a time he headed his own 
string quartet. 

Surviving are a son and daugh- 
ter. 

MABEL LAFFIN 

Mrs. Mabel Taylor, who per- 
formed in several musicial come- 
dies in the mid-20’s as Mabel Laffin, 
died in Chicago Jan. 2. She ap- 
peared in such shows in Chicago 
as “Madame Sherry,” “Forbidden 
Land” and “Prince of Tonight.” 

Survived by husband. 

Mrs. Vena N. Bates, 58. presi- 
dent of the Central Vermont 
Broadcasting Corp. and general 
manaager of radio station WHWB 
in Rutland, Vt., died recently 
while visiting her daughter, Mrs. 
Frank Panesfield, in Flint, Mich. 
Her husband also survives. 

Gust A. Hausner, 72, longtime 
violinist and conductor of the 
orchestra at the former Shubert 
Theatre in Minneapolis, and more 
recently manager of a music com- 
pany, died in Minneapolis, Jan. 3. 
His wife survives. 

Helen Hedeman, 43. supervisor 
of auditions and casting at ABC 
Radio, died Jan. 7 in New York. 
She had been with the network in 
the same post for 21 years, starting 
when it was the Blue Network. 
Survived by a sister and two 
brothers. 

Ruben Frels, veteran South 
Texas theatre owner, died Dec. 31 
in Victoria. Tex., following a brief 
illness. He headed a 14-theatre 
circuit, Frels Theatres, Inc., with 
headquarters at Victoria. 

Clarence A. Everage Jr., 28. 

radio engineer, was electrocuted 
Dec. 8 while working on the KLBS 
transmitter in Houston. He was 
trying to find a short in the trans- 
mitter which caused the station to 
go off the air. 

Mrs. Gibbs Canfield, 46, associ- 
ate editor of McCall’s magazine 
and sister of Wolcott Gibbs, drama 
critic of The New Yorker maga- 
zine, died Jan. 10 in New York. 


Surviving, besides her brother, are 
a daughter and a son. 

Charles I. Shapiro, 73, veteran 
hotel and cafe man, died Jan. 3 
in West Philadelphia. In the hotel 
business 50 years, he operated the 
Hotel Astor and the Astor Lounge 
in West Philadelphia. Four sisters 
and two brothers survive. 

Fred Broomfield, 61, drama 
editor of Valley Times, North 
Hollywood, died Jan. 5, following 
a long illness. Joining the sheet in 
1945, he was formerly on the De- 
troit News for 15 years. Survived 
by wife. 

Gregory Duffy, 55, prexy of 
Metropolitan Engravers in Los 
Amgeles and widely known in film 
circles, died Dec. 27 of a heart at- 
tack while playing golf. He is 
survived by his wife and two sons. 

Merritt P. Allen, 62, author of 
radio and television scripts, but 
better known for his historical 
novels for boys, died Dec. 26 in 
Bristol, Vt. 

George Goncharov, 50, Russian- 
born dancing teacher, died Dec. 30 
in London, Eng., after an illness_of 
several months. At one time he had 
been associated with the Sadler’s 
Wells Ballet SchooL 

Harry J. Carey, 40, violinist and 
pianist, died Dec. 30 In Roselle, 
N.J., after a long illness. He di- 
rected a volunteer entertainment 
troupe which performed in vet- 
erans hospitals. 

Guillaume Ferrari, 45, co-direc- 
tor of the Lido nitery on the 
Champs Elysees in Paris, died Jan. 
4 of injuries suffered in a traffic 
accident in that city. 

William Frederick Greenwaldt, 

82, the Williams of the vaude com- 
edy team of Williams & Charles, 
died Jan. 2 in Alhambra, Cal. Sur- 
viving are five sons and a brother. 

Jesus Maria Gonzales Villarreal, 

radio announcer, was killed Dec. 
8 in a headon car collision near 
Uvalde, Tex. He was a staff an- 
nouncer with KVOU, Uvalde. 

Francis X. Pagano, 52, partner 
in the theatrical accounting firm of 
Pinto, Winokur & Pagano, died 
Jan. 7 in Jackson Heights, Queens, 
N. Y. Wife and a son survive. 

Aveli Artis, 74, noted Spanish 
playwright who came to Mexico in 
1939, died in Mexico City Dec. 30 
after a long illness. 

Harvey Prescott Dwight, 54, pro- 
duction staffer at Paramount for 
past 20 years and with company 
since 1924. died Jan. 3, at Veterans 
Hospital, Sawtelle, Calif. His wife 
survives. 

Edward W. Foulkes Sr., 65, long- 
time projectionist at the Para- 
mount Theatre, Des Moines, died 
of a heart attack Dec. 28 in that 
city. A son and daughter survive. 

J. Barry McGuigan, *53, press 
representative for the Shubert the- 
atres in Philadelphia and a one- 
time newspaper photographer, died 
Jan. 10 in Philadelphia. 

Perry O. Stomps, 63, former 
singer with the Brooklyn Comedy 
Four quartet on the Keith circuit, 
died Dec. 21 in Hamilton, O. 

Edward Kaufman, 61, ohetime 
producer at 20th-Fox and RKO, 
died of cancer Jan. 9 in Hollywood. 
At the time of his death he was 
a story consultant for Famous 
Artists. 

Harry J. Crabtree, 70, for years 
an advance agent for circuses, died 
in Zanesville, O., Dec. 27. In re- 
cent years he operated an adver- 
tising business. Two daughters 
survive. 

Claude Dampier, 76, film, stage 
and radio comedian, known as 
“The Professional Idiot,” died Jan. 
1 of pneumonia in London. 

Edward Redmond. 82, actor and 
pioneer Coast theatrical figure, 
figure died Dec. 31 in San Jose, 
Cal. 

Charles McCarthy, 51. formerly 
in film transportation in Minne- 
apolis and later theatre manager 
for Minnesota Amusement Co., in 
Fargo, N. D., died Dec. 27. 

Mother of Margo Henderson (& 
Sam Kemp), vaude. radio and tv 
impressionist, died Dec. 9 at Clyde- 
bank, Scot. 

Tim Kirby, formerly with vaude 
team of Kirby, Quinn & Anger, 
died Jan 7 in Long Island, N.Y. 

Jack Heywood, 71. veteran New 
Richmond, Wis., exhibitor, died 
| Dec. 28. 


MARRIAGES 

Lucille G. Collette to Alfred J. 
Clodgo Jr., Vergennes, Vt., Dec. 
20. Bride was cashier at the Ver- 
gennes Theatre. 

Paul Curran to Lila Dunbar, 
Glasgow, De-c. 28. He’s an actor 
with Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre 
company. 

Babette George to Dave Pell, Las 
Vegas, Dec. 11. Bride’s a dancer 
in the Flamingo line; he’s a sax- 
man with Les Brown orch. 

Pat McMahan to Dave Silver, 
Las Vegas, Jan. 1. Bride’s an ac- 
tress; he’s a 20th-Fox assistant di- 
rector. 

Helen Gougeon to Joseph Schull, 
Montreal, Jan. 8. Bride is wom- 
en’s editor of Week-End Magazine; 
he’s a radio and tv playwright. 

Betty Ann Lowry to Albert 
Fisher, San Antonio, recently. 
Bride is radio music librarian for 
WOAI in that city. 

Glenr.a Hunter to William A. 
Spencer, Columbus, Dec. 27. Bride 
is radio-tv editor of the Ohio State 
(Columbus) Journal and hostess of 
"Terns and Twenties” show on 
WBNS-TV. 

Rita Maza to Jay Williams, New 
York, Dec. 31. Bride’s a copywriter 
at the Hirschon, Garfield agency; 
he’s a sales exec with Official 
Films. 

Pat Carroll to Lee Karsian, New 
York, Jan. 2. Brid« is a tele and 
cafe performer; he’s with the Wil- 
liam Morris Agency legit dept. 

Peggy Romano to Dana Elcar, 
Ch'cago, Dec. 29. Bride is a legit- 
tv actress* he’s an actor. 

Julienne Hendricks to Gerald 
Kean, N.Y., Jan. 8. Bride is an 
actress; he’s chief of special proj- 
ects for radio division of United 
Nations. 

Ruth Harris to John Conte, 
Folkstone, Ga., Dec. 27. Bride’s a 
tv producer; he’s a tv and musi- 
comedy performer. 


BIRTHS 

Mr. and Mrs. John Woodward, 
son, Burbank, Cal., Dec. 9. Father 
is a still lab technician at Colum- 
bia. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Houseman, 
son, Los Angeles, Dec. 30. Father 
is a Metro producer; mother is for- 
mer actress Joan Courtney. 

Mr. ard Mrs. Martin Waldman, 
daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 4. Fa- 
ther is former Daily Variety ad 
staffer, now public relations di- 
rector for Consolidated Film In- 
dustries. 

Mr. ar.d Mrs. Tommy Reynolds, 
daughter, San Antonio, recently. 
Father is emcee of his own tv show 
in KENS-TV in that city. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Childress, 
son, Youngstown, O., Dec. 22. Fa- 
ther is theatre critic for Youngs- 
town Vind ; cetor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Emil Campaine, 
son, West Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 
5. Father is an engineer at WJNO- 
TV in Paim Beach. 

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Rasco, 
daughter, Dallas, Dec. 21. Father 
is news director of KRLD and 
KRLD-TV there. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Barker, son, 
Dallas, Dec. 27. Father is an- 
nouncer at KRLD there. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Glenn, son. 
Da las, Jan. 5. Father is director of 
i Betty Blanchard’s Courtyard Thea- 
tre there. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gardner, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Jan. 1. 
Mother’s Priscilla Dodge, actress. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Thompson, 
daughter, Pittsburgh, Dec. 30. 
Father’s chief announcer at KQV. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Gladstone, 
son. New York, Dec. 25. Mother’s 
Ruth Fisher, former Pittsburgh 
Playhouse actress. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hanrahan, 
daughter, New York, Dec. 31. 
.Father js disk jockey at WRCA. 

Mr. and Mrs. A1 Brodax, twin 
sons, Norwalk, Conn., Dec. 31. 
Father is with the William Morris 
Agency. 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hinton, 
daughter, Santa Monica, Cal., Dec. 
28. Father is a film-tv actor. 

Mr. and Mrs. Maury Passero, 
son, Norwalk, Conn., Dec. 31. 

I Mother is former songstress Mar- 
ilyn Towne. 

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Schwartz, 
son, Schenectady, Dec. 29. Father 
is a Columbia salesman in Albany. 

Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Wilk, son, 
New York, Dec. 28. Father is a 
concert violinist; mother, the for- 
mer Norma Bloomberg, is a one- 
; time French horn player. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Batteiger, 
son, St. Louis, Jan. 5. Mother is 
Ruth Tobin, tv actress, writer and 
producer. 

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Loveton, 
twin daughters, Los Angeles. Dec. 
22. Father is producer of the 
“Topper” and "Mr. and Mrs. 
North” tv series. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Tyner, daugh- 
ter, Philadelphia, Dec. 25. Mother 
is Acres O’Rc.'ly, night club sing- 
I er and pianist. 




76 


Wednesday, January 12, 1955 


BOOKED SOLID - thru 1975 


( by CBS-TV ) 



Ed Sullivan Mario Lewis Ray Bloch Johnny Wray 

(MARK J. LEDDY was not available for portrait; he was trapping a risley act in Little Rock.) 


Ed Sullivan's “TOAST of the TOWN" 

for LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERS ASSOCIATION of AMERICA and CANADA 




Scanned from microfilm from the collections of 
The Library of Congress 
National Audio Conservation Center 


Coordinated and sponsored by 


M E D I A 

HESTQRV 


i: 



A search of the records of the United States Copyright Office 
has determined that this work is in the public domain.